Amelia Earhart, her navigator, Fred Noonan, and her Lockheed Model 10-E Electra are lost.

"lost (lôst, lŏst)

v.

Past tense and past participle of lose.

adj.

1. Unable to find one's way: a lost child.

a. No longer in the possession, care, or control of someone or something: a lost pen.
b. No longer in existence; vanished or spent: lost youth.
c. No longer known or practiced: a lost art.
d. Beyond reach, communication, or influence: The expedition was lost to the world for two months.
3. Not used to one's benefit or advantage: a lost opportunity.
4. Having not been or unlikely to be won; unsuccessful: a lost battle; a lost cause.
5. Beyond recovery or redemption; fallen or destroyed: a lost soul.
6.
a. Completely involved or absorbed; rapt: lost in thought.
b. Bewildered or confused: I'm lost—can you start over?
Idiom:
be lost on

1. To have no effect or influence on: Her advice was lost on me.
2. To be beyond the comprehension of: The lecture was lost on us.

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

The approx. 50th attempt to find the wreckage because e.g. the leather some of a woman's shoe was found on a remote island continues space.

This isn't only a fool's errand- it's an industry at this point, imo.

The globe is vast. The time is long past.

No matter.

Some facts must be cultural "mysteries" for God knows what reason.