Bad weather in Antarctica has halted a full search and rescue operation for three missing Canadians.

But the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre are hard at work and planning a second flight over the area, 450km from the South Pole.

The Canadians were flying in a Twin Otter plane when their emergency locator transmitter activated late Wednesday night.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) RESCUE COORDINATOR JOHN ASHBY, SAYING:

"At this time the weather down there is very poor. Low cloud, low ceiling, low blowing snow. So, we're hoping to get the aircraft overhead so they can detect the ELT (emergency distress beacon). See if they can raise the crew, communications, through radio and what have you. And from there, we'll just hopefully get a clearing in the weather. If we get a clearing in the weather then we can bring another aircraft down from McMurdo and also a helicopter or a couple of helicopters in the area and hopefully then we'll have some idea of what the situation is."

A joint New Zealand-US field rescue team is ready to go and a helicopter is due to drop them into the area once conditions improve.