People have said they thought they were close many times before. I'll believe it when I see it. Same for MH370 -- might be next week, might be next month, might be next year, might be 22nd century -- no way to foresee.
We were young once, too, and didn't know who she was. And I'll never forget when my then-young-teen niece asked me quite seriously some years back (late 70's/early 80's) whether Paul McCartney had been in another band before Wings.
That's the problem with reaching a certain age -- we can't remember not remembering.
It took 73 years to find the Titanic and they pretty much knew where it went down. Why do so many people have this misconception that finding an infinitesimally tiny airliner at the bottom of infinitely immense ocean (because that's what it is out there) should be so easy?
I can understand the anguish of losing loved ones but when anger is directed at those trying to find them due to lack of results they lose my sympathy.
People lose touch with others forever all the time in too many 'hotspots' around the world. What's amazing is that the rest of us know it, can even see it, and yet remain so insulated. But it's always been that way too.
Older and much more edumacated!!
Please no one mention the Wright Bros or Glenn Curtiss!!
In our limited and imperfect world there aren't always answers available. For findings things deep in the ocean technology today is better than 50 years ago but still quite primitive by absolute standards.
By now it has been pretty much discounted these 'findings' have anything to do with her disappearance. Also, just coolly analyzing events of that day that at least we know are true it is simple beyond comprehension that someone could entertain idea she landed on some other island, borders on science fiction.