The search is continuing for a helicopter missing in Papua New Guinea with a New Zealand pilot on board.

The Bell 206 helicopter, operated by Hevilift Ltd, went missing on Friday afternoon near Mt Hagen in PNG's Southern Highlands.

The helicopter was flying in low cloud with reduced visibility.

There were also two Australians on board. All are Hevilift employees.

Hevilift says a mayday call was broadcast about five minutes after the helicopter left a drill rig site.

It's believed they were on their way to refuel.

An immediate search was launched by Hevilift on Friday. Seven helicopters have been searching the area since first light on Saturday.

Hevilift says the helicopter may be in a thickly forested area.

Earlier on Saturday, a spokesman for New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed a New Zealander was on board the chopper.

An official from the NZ High Commission in Port Moresby was talking to company representatives, local authorities and the man's family.

Three New Zealanders are understood to work for Hevilift in Papua New Guinea, and the company said it was in contact with their families.

In March another New Zealand pilot, Shri Rama Krishnan, 42, died in a helicopter crash in a remote Indonesian province while on a routine food supply trip.