Missing MH370: 'black box pings' tracked to same point as final 'half-handshake'

MH370's final 'half-handshake' communication tracked to around the same point in Indian Ocean as authorities detect underwater signals that could be from missing plane's black box

A final unexplained signal emitted by the missing Malaysia Airlines plane was tracked to the same point in the Indian Ocean at which authorities believe they have found the aircraft, it can be revelaed.

It is thought that this final "half-handshake" – or satellite contact – could have been the moment at which the plane ran out of fuel and plunged into the Indian Ocean.

As authorities said they were "very close" to finding the plane after detecting more than two hours of underwater signals, The Telegraph learnt that the site coincides with analysis from two weeks ago, which estimated where the final contact occurred.

The breakthrough in the search has assisted analysts to gain a picture of the likely final sequence for the aircraft, which is believed to have run out of fuel and then experienced a last jolt of power that triggered an incomplete satellite handshake before entering the water.