Australian rescuers are coordinating the search for a helicopter that disappeared in Antarctica with four people from a French research station on board.

The chopper had taken off from a ship that helps re-supply the station and rotate its staff through Australia.

French authorities say the helicopter disappeared in bad weather after sending a distress signal.

Bad weather forced back a second helicopter sent to the area to search for those missing.

A United States Air Force jet has been searching the area, with a Royal Australian Air Force plane on its way to assist.

Tracey Jiggins from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority says they have a position of the helicopter, but bad weather is hampering the rescue effort.

"The last tracking we had of the helicopter was that it was flying low and slow, so we're hopeful the bad weather conditions have just meant the helicopter could no longer fly in those conditions and has put down itself," she said.

"But as I said, until we get confirmation through communications with the vessel we won't actually know what condition those people might be in."