Baku, November 4, AZERTAC The first group of participants in Bulgaria's 35th Antarctic Expedition will depart for the frozen continent on Thursday, November 5, from Vasil Levski Sofia Airport on a Bulgaria Air flight via Rome, Sao Paulo, Santiago de Chile and Punta Arenas, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported citing the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute.The group consists of base commander Kamen Nedkov, medical doctor Atanas Peltekov, cook Samuil Chelebiev, mechanics Boiko Koliovski and Lyuben Lyubenov, boat operator Severina Miteva, electricians Krasimir Krastev and Stanimir Ivanov, field assistant Svetla Stoyanova, and biologist Dr. Simona Georgieva.In Punta Arenas, they will be joined by three US scientists: ornithologist Sarah Kienle and marine biologists Emily Sperou and Travis Bayer. The group will then travel aboard the Chilean Navy vessel ATF-60 Lientur to Livingston Island, where Bulgaria's base, St. Kliment Ohridski, is located.The group's main task is to reopen the station after the winter period and prepare it for the full-scale operations of subsequent teams.A total of 125 people from 13 countries will take part in the expedition, which will carry out more than 35 research projects.