Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov caught fire even as it was undergoing repairs in an Arctic shipyard. Admiral Kuznetsov is Russia's only aircraft carrier. Russian news agencies reported that at least one person is missing after the accident.
As many as 400 people were on board the ship when the fire erupted, Russian news agency Tass reported. The fire soon spread to an area of about 600 square metres.
According to the Defence Post, Admiral Kuznetsov was undergoing repairs at the Zvezdochka shipyard in Murmansk. The fire incident on Thursday is the second mishap the carrier suffered in the span of a year. In October 2018, the carrier suffered damage after when a crane crashed onto its deck, the Post said.
The long history of troubles
Admiral Kuznetsov was launched in 1985. However, the Russian Navy flagship has been besotted with troubles for a long time. According to Military Today, accidents and plane crashes have marred the dependability of the carrier. Some of the problems the carrier has are those relating to the propulsion system, the report said. Though Kuznetsov is Russia' only aircraft carrier, there is no immediate plans to construct a new one.
Repair work in the conventionally powered Admiral Kuznetsov is expected to be over by the end of next year and the carrier is slated to join Navy in the following year.
(This is a developing story)
