Shipwreck hunter Robert Ballard said Wednesday he would consult with naval experts over his "promising" but "inconclusive" findings in the search for the World War II patrol boat commanded by John F. Kennedy off the Solomon Islands. [...]

In that same statement, Ballard was quoted as saying, "While promising, the expedition findings are inconclusive at this time. We will review the results with naval experts over the next several weeks."

National Geographic said it will announce the results when the analysis is complete.

According to the radio report, Ballard — who led a team that found the Titanic shipwreck in 1985 — said he located the wreckage of Kennedy's boat last week after searching for about a week. He did not provide further details of the discovery, citing contractual obligations for film and magazine rights to the search.

Ballard could not be reached for comment. A worker at the Gizo hotel where Ballard had been staying told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the explorer left the islands.

The radio report said a National Geographic documentary will be released in November. Members of the National Geographic team in the Solomon Islands did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

The John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston had no information on the report. Ballard's Institute for Exploration at Mystic Marinelife Aquarium in Mystic, Conn., could not confirm the story.

Aquarium spokeswoman Lisa Jaccoma said, "They have found something. They're waiting to get confirmation of what they have found." [...]