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Line 307: Immediately after the end of the official search, Putnam financed a private search by local authorities of nearby Pacific islands and waters. In late July 1937, Putnam chartered two small boats and, while he remained in the United States, directed a search of other islands.{{sfn|Goldstein|Dillon|1997|p=257}} Putnam acted to become the trustee of Earhart's estate so he could pay for the searches and related bills. In probate court in Los Angeles, Putnam asked to have the "[[declared death in absentia|declared death ''in absentia'']]" seven-year waiting period waived so he could manage Earhart's finances. As a result, Earhart was declared legally dead on January 5, 1939.{{sfn|Van Pelt|2005|p=205}} In 2003 and 2006, [[David Jourdan]], through his company Nauticos, extensively searched a {{convert|1200|sqmi|km2|adj=on}} area north and west of Howland Island with deep-sea sonar devices. The searches cost $4.5 million but did not find any wreckage. The search locations were derived from the line of position (157–337) broadcast by Earhart on July 2, 1937.<ref name="Hoversten" /> ===== 2024-2025 Search by Deep Sea Vision ===== In 2024, Deep Sea Vision, a Charleston, South Carolina, company that operates [[unmanned underwater vehicle]]s, found via sonar what it said are the remains of an airplane on the ocean floor. The object, which is shaped like an Electra, was detected {{cvt|16000|ft|km}} underwater and within {{convert|100|mi|km|abbr=on}} of Howland Island. More exploration is necessary to confirm whether this is Earhart's missing aircraft.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Stephen |date=2024-01-29 |title=Amelia Earhart's long-lost plane possibly detected by sonar 16,000 feet underwater, exploration team claims |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amelia-earhart-plane-possibly-detected-sonar-underwater-deep-sea-vision/ |work=CBS News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Kim |first=Juliana |date=January 29, 2024 |title=Amelia Earhart's long-lost plane possibly spotted in the Pacific by exploration team |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/01/29/1227574179/amelia-earharts-lost-plane-howland-island |access-date=January 29, 2024 |work=[[NPR]]}}</ref> | |||