A SCIENTIST accused of attempted murder in Antarctica stabbed his colleague because “he was fed up with the man telling him the endings of books,” it has been claimed.

Scientific engineer Sergey Savitsky, 55, became enraged and stabbed welder Oleg Beloguzov, 52, with a kitchen knife.

6 Sergey Savitsky, 55, is accused of stabbing his colleague in Antarctica after he kept ruining the endings of books Credit: East2west News

It is believed to be the first time a man has been charged with attempted murder in Antarctica.

The men had previously spent four harsh years at Russia’s isolated Bellingshausen station King George Island, part of the South Shetland island group.

Russian investigators are probing a version of events in which both men became avid readers to pass the lonely hours in the remote facility.

But Savitsky had become enraged that Beloguzov “kept telling his colleague the endings of books before he read them”.

6 Welder Oleg Beloguzov, 52, reportedly kept spoiling he endings of books Savitsky was reading from the research station library Credit: East2west News

The wounded man was evacuated to Chile with a knife injury to the chest.

His heart was injured in the attack and he was admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital but his life is understood not to be in danger.

The alleged attacker was deported to Russia’s second city St Petersburg where he was immediately arrested and a criminal probe launched.

Savitsky, now under house arrest, has expressed remorse over the attack in the station’s canteen.

Reports say the altercation was fuelled by alcohol.

6 The pair were both stationed in Antarctica as part of a Russian research group Credit: East2west News

6 Beloguzov was evacuated to Chile where he was admitted to intensive care Credit: East2west News

6 The pair had both spent several years working on the world's southern most continent Credit: East2west News

6 The men had previously spent four harsh years at Russia’s isolated Bellingshausen station King George Island Credit: East2west News

Workers at the station have access to two Russian TV channels, sporting facilities, and a library.

Alexander Klepikov, deputy director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, told Komsomolskaya Pravda: “They are both professional scientists who have been working in our expeditions, spending year-long seasons at the station.

“It is down to investigators to figure out what sparked the conflict, but both men are members of our team.”

The station was set up in 1968 by a Soviet Antarctic expedition.

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It is one of the few locations on the continent with a tundra rather than ice cap climate - so is seen as relatively mild.

It is also the site of a permanently staffed Orthodox church.

The station is named after 19th century Russian explorer Fabian von Bellingshausen.

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