Brazil starts constructing new Antarctic base

Brasilia: Brazil has started the construction of a new research station in Antarctica, four years after a fire destroyed its Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station, the media reported on Tuesday.

The new station is being built at the same place as the old one, in King George Island, near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Construction work is being carried out by China National Electronics Imports and Exports Corporation (CEIEC), which is on a bidding process to build the station costing about $99.6 million, Xinhua reported citing Agencia Brasil news agency. 

The first Brazilian Antarctic station began operating in 1984. Various research programmes have been carried out by scientists there. 

On February 25, 2012, the base was completely destroyed in a fire, which caused the deaths of two soldiers. Since then, Brazilian scientists have used temporary locations to continue their research.