Alex Duncan from Curtin University's Centre for Marine Science and Technology has said one signal has been detected on several receivers, which is likely to be related to the crashed Malaysian airliner MH370. Duncan told CNN, "Researchers are studying a very low frequency sound to see if it was the impact of the aircraft on the surface of the water. Alternatively, it could be the implosion of parts of the aircraft as it sank".

However, Duncan said that there is no surety over the source of the noise as it could belong to any natural event as well. When circumstances are favorable, low frequency signals can travel thousands of kilometers through the water. He admitted that the sound was inconsistent with other data about the aircraft position.

The underwater listening devices help researchers in listening to the signs of nuclear blasts. Same was the case with data provided by British satellite company Inmarsat, which was used for locating MH370 by Malaysian authorities. Being a communication satellite, the Inmarsat was used for a mission that it was not designed for. There is one device - located some 20 kilometers off Perth - operated by Curtin University to listen to whales and other marine life.

Duncan said additional information about findings will be soon revealed by investigators in coming days. Australian authorities declared earlier this week that flight MH370 was not in the search area in the southern Indian Ocean.

Flight MH370 was lost on March 8 while on the route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. There were 239 people onboard the flight and half of them were Chinese nationals.