Fresh drilling at a boat-shaped formation in eastern Turkey has produced samples that researchers hope will clarify what lies beneath the surface. But the investigation has yet to establish that the site contains the remains of Noah’s Ark.

The Durupınar Formation, near Mount Ararat, has attracted attention for decades because of its striking outline. Measuring approximately 157 meters long, it is now the focus of another investigation combining underground imaging with physical sampling. In a September 23 announcement, Noah’s Ark Scans said its team had begun recovering cores from inside the formation and nearby ground for comparison.

Those comparisons matter: researchers must understand material found within the outline alongside the surrounding geology before concluding its origin.

The project reports that some samples contain layers rich in organic material. Andrew Jones, founder of Noah’s Ark Scans, has suggested these could represent decomposed remains of a wooden vessel. However, according to Premier Christian News, citing Newsweek, Jones subsequently clarified that this interpretation remains a hypothesis rather than a confirmed discovery. No conclusive identification of ancient wood has been reported in that drilling update.

Another widely discussed incident occurred when a drill bit broke after encountering a resistant layer roughly four to five meters underground. Jones has proposed petrified or heavily mineralized wood as one possibility. Ordinary rock remains another explanation, leaving the material's nature unresolved.

The team also plans to deploy a camera-equipped underground device called GOPHER to examine spaces identified through earlier surveys. Researchers interpret some of these features as possible chambers or passageways, but that interpretation remains under investigation.

The Ark theory already faces a substantial geological challenge. In a 1996 study, geologist Lorence Collins and co-author David Fasold concluded that Durupınar was a natural formation. Their analysis explained supposed construction features through rock folding and mineral deposits, and identified material previously described as fossilized wood as rock.

Initial laboratory findings from the current work are expected during winter, with a fuller report anticipated in spring 2027, according to the published update. These tests should help establish the samples’ composition and assess the researchers’ interpretations.

Even a confirmed discovery of wood would leave further questions about its age, origin, and relationship to the formation. Identifying organic material, demonstrating the presence of an ancient vessel, and linking that vessel to Noah’s Ark are separate claims that require separate evidence.

For now, the drilling represents a new opportunity to examine the site—not confirmation that the biblical ship has been found.