A pilot and two passengers were stranded after their helicopter crashed about 140 nautical miles from Davis station on Sunday night.

After bad weather delayed rescue efforts, they were transferred to Davis station about 11.30pm yesterday.

All three are in a stable condition.

They were returning from a scientific mission to survey a penguin colony near the Amery ice shelf.

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

The helicopter was charted by the Australian Antarctic Divison.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has confirmed that it will investigate the incident.