Massive Fire Erupts On Soviet Aircraft Carrier Docked In China’s Yangtze River
The Minsk, an ageing Soviet-era aircraft carrier, caught fire last week while anchored in a man-made lagoon on the Yangtze River in China.
The fire that broke out on August 16, 2024, at around 4:00 PM local time, has most likely rendered the once-powerful vessel entirely out of commission.
The Minsk, a Kiev-class carrier, was built in 1978 in Mykolaiv for the Soviet Navy. After serving in the Cold War, it was decommissioned in 1993 and sold to Daewoo Heavy Industries of South Korea in 1995.
Though initially scheduled for scrapping, the carrier was sold again to a Chinese firm, where it was transformed into a military theme park centerpiece in Shenzhen, known as Minsk World.
Despite plans to repurpose the ship as a tourist attraction, the park closed in 2016 due to low ticket sales. The Minsk was eventually transported to Nantong, Jiangsu province, where it had been anchored in a lagoon for the past six years.
The Chinese lost their aircraft carrier Minsk. pic.twitter.com/d9P8jNAzUl
— Lowsen (@oxminer_lowsen) August 16, 2024
Video Credits: @oxminer_lowsen/X
A large fire broke out aboard the carrier on August 16 as it was being dismantled and renovated at the Su Xitong Technology Industrial Park. Passers-by took video of towering columns of smoke as flames covered the superstructure.
The fire’s intensity caused the ship’s superstructure to collapse partially, causing substantial damage to its interior.
The Chinese emergency services, including firefighters, police, and other relevant agencies, responded immediately to the situation.
No casualties have been reported, and the cause of the incident is still being investigated. The Su Xitong Technology Industrial Park Fire Rescue Brigade is in charge of the response operations.
The Minsk operated as a hybrid cruiser and aircraft carrier outfitted with P-500 anti-ship missiles, 76mm cannons, and a flight deck for STOVL fighter jets and antisubmarine helicopters.
Dalian Yongjia Group purchased the Minsk in 2013, with plans to transform it into a national defense-themed park.
The carrier was relocated to Nantong in 2016. However, the transformation was never completed due to lengthy approval processes and the company’s poor credit record.
The Minsk isn’t the first aged Soviet carrier to arrive in China. A sister ship, the Kiev, was also converted into a theme park in Tianjin, while another carrier, the Varyag, was transformed into China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.
Reference: SCMP
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