Antarctic chopper crash: Injured people rescued

File photo / APN

Three injured expeditioners who were stranded for almost 24 hours when their helicopter crashed in Antarctica yesterday have been rescued.

The helicopter - chartered by the Australian Antarctic Division - had three people on board when it was forced to make an emergency landing early yesterday morning.

Initial reports from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade last night suggested a New Zealander was on board, however that has since been discounted.

The helicopter's pilot and two passengers were rescued during overnight flights using a helicopter and Twin Otter aircraft, with a Basler aircraft providing support, according to a statement from the Australian Antarctic Division.

They were transferred to the division's Davis Station at 11.30pm Australian Eastern Summer Time yesterday.

All three people were in a stable condition, the statement said.

"A comprehensive medical assessment is being undertaken by the Davis station doctor and lay medical team, with support from the Australian Antarctic Division's Polar Medicine Unit at Kingston in Tasmania.

"The helicopter came down on Sunday evening while returning from a scientific mission to survey a penguin colony near the Amery ice shelf, around 150 nautical miles from Davis station.

"While awaiting rescue from the site, the injured were cared for by crew from a second helicopter which was travelling in tandem with the one that crashed.''

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau would be investigating the incident.

The helicopter was chartered from company Helicopter Resources.