Australian PM Abbott and his wife attend a national memorial service for the victims of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his wife Margaret (obscured) place wattle blossoms on a wreath as they attend a national memorial service for the victims of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne August 7, 2014. Australia held a national day of mourning on Thursday for its citizens killed in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Ukraine last month, even as Russia said it was ratcheting up its response to Western sanctions imposed over the disaster. Reuters/Mark Dadswell

An Australian passenger of the downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was found to have been wearing an oxygen mask. According to a BBC report, Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans revealed not all of the passengers may have been killed instantly when the plane was shot down over eastern Ukraine.

An initial report had said MH17 had broken up in mid-air after it was hit by "sharp objects" at high velocity. The Malaysia Airlines aircraft was shot down with a ground-to-air missile that caused the plane to crash and killed everyone on board.

Reports said the Dutch public prosecutor has confirmed the minister's statement that not everyone had died on impact since an Australian passenger was able to grab an oxygen mask. The prosecutor said that during the identification process, an oxygen mask was found wrapped around a passenger's neck.

The Netherlands Forensic Institute has examined the mask for traces of saliva, fingerprints and DNA but results did not show anything conclusive. The prosecutor's office said in a statement that it was not yet clear how the oxygen mask had been on the passenger's neck. The relatives of the victim have been informed about the mask at the time. None of the other passengers in the crash site were found with oxygen masks on.

MH17 had been flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur last July 17 when it was shot down when it reached the airspace of rebel-held territory. Reports said pro-Russian separatist leaders have denied involvement in the shooting down of the plane.

Although, 196 out of the 298 people on board were of Dutch nationals, the one wearing the oxygen mask was not. Dutch media had reported that the victim was identified as Australian and the family has been informed about the latest development in the investigation.

The latest findings of the ongoing MH17 investigation have raised questions regarding the events moments after the Boeing 777 plane was reportedly hit by a missile. Analysts said the fact that a passenger was able to grab an oxygen mask after the plane was hit seems to dismiss the idea that all people on board had died instantly.

Aviation authorities said oxygen masks drop automatically from the plane's overhead compartment when the aircraft detects loss of pressure in the cabin. Masks are also released when there is severe turbulence including rough landings.