MH370 searchers elated by re-detections

One of the key players in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight has spoken of his elation to have re-detected sounds believed to be from the plane's black box.

On Wednesday, 33 days after the Boeing 777 vanished from radars with 239 people on board, it was announced that two acoustic signals had been picked up from a 4.5 kilometre-deep part of the Indian Ocean.

FULL COVERAGE: The search for MH370

While the signals were several kilometres apart, they were effectively re-detections after a pair of signals were picked up in the same 1300 square kilometre area by the same Australian ship over the weekend.

Combined, they represented the biggest breakthrough yet in one of aviation's most mysterious plane disasters, although searchers are far from claiming victory, with chief coordinator and decorated defence force retiree Angus Houston saying that won't come until wreckage is found.

US Navy Captain Mark Matthews, who has played a central role in the exhausting, multi-nation effort, said the crews felt elated.

"I'm an engineer so we don't talk emotions too much but certainly when I received that they had another detection, you feel elated," Capt Matthews told reporters.

"You're hopeful that you can locate the final resting place of the aircraft, you hope you can bring closure to all of the families involved."