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A six-second signal recently discovered by British scientists from Cardiff University could finally solve the mystery of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.
The plane, which vanished into thin air while traveling from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, China, on March 8, 2014, had 239 people on board, none of which have never been found.
However, now, after analyzing data from hydrophones, the scientists from Cardiff University have discovered a six-second signal that was recorded around the date and time that Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 went off radar. (Hydrophones are underwater microphones used by hydroacoustic stations around the world.)
They believe, according to the Telegraph, that this six-second signal was recorded when the plane is believed to have run out of fuel and crashed into the Indian Ocean.
Their theory is solid. According to the Telegraph, “A 200-ton aircraft crashing at a speed of 200 meters a second releases the kinetic energy equivalent to a small earthquake. This would be large enough to be recorded by hydrophones thousands of miles away.”
Luckily, there are two such hydrophones located in that area. One is in Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia and the second is located in the British territory of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
There’s just one problem. The signal that the Cardiff University researchers identified was recorded at the Cape Leeuwin hydroacoustic station, but it was not detected at the Diego Garcia hydroacoustic station.
“Given the sensitivity of hydrophones, it’s highly unlikely a large aircraft impacting the ocean surface wouldn’t leave a detectable pressure signature, particularly on nearby hydrophones,” researcher Dr. Usama Kadri said.
After Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 went missing in 2014, more than 46,000 square miles of sea floor was surveyed by Australia, the United States, China and Malaysia, hoping to locate the plane and its 239 passengers.
Several other searches since have also yielded no results. So one of the main mysteries about the missing flight is, did MH370 really crash into the ocean? Or was it hijacked and landed somewhere off the grid and the passengers killed?
“The disappearance of MH370 motivated this work because it raised questions about the ability to detect aircraft crashes in the ocean, and the potential use of hydroacoustic technology to aid search and rescue efforts,” said Dr. Kadri.
“Unfortunately, we’ve been unable to find a signal with the certainty needed to launch a new search for the missing aircraft. However, if the recommendations are followed by the appropriate authorities, we can assess the relevance of the observed signals, potentially shedding light on the location of MH370.”