Former Russian aircraft carrier Minsk suffers disastrous fire in Nantong, China

@ElentirENG ES 8·16·2024 · 23:52 0

Two years ago I published here an article about an abandoned aircraft carrier, the Minsk, which had belonged to the Russian Navy.

The infiltration of a group of Spanish explorers into the Russian aircraft carrier Minsk
Minsk: an abandoned Soviet aircraft carrier with a plane, torpedoes and missiles inside

This ship was decommissioned in 1993 and in 1995 it was sold to a group of Chinese businessmen, who wanted to turn it into a theme park. The company went bankrupt in 2006 and the ship was sold again, leaving it almost abandoned. In March 2024 we saw here an infiltration of Spanish explorers on that ship. The projects to refurbish it and turn it into a theme park were delayed. Sadly, today we see this:

#BREAKING #CHINA #CHINE #Fire #Incendio #Incendie

🔴 CHINA :📹 MAJOR FIRE AT THE FORMER SOVIET AIRCRAFT CARRIER "MINSK" IN NANTONG

Minsk is seriously damaged by the fire at Suxitong Industrial Park where it was undergoing refurbishment. The ship was formerly a tourist… pic.twitter.com/Yp6KRcGVUH

— LW World News 🌍 (@LoveWorld_Peopl) August 16, 2024

The Twitter account @LoveWorld_Peopl notes: "The Minsk was severely damaged by a fire at the Suxitong industrial park where it was undergoing construction. The ship was formerly a tourist attraction known as Minsk World." The vessel was in China's Nantong Lagoon on the Yangtze River.

A local Chinese media outlet reports: "The Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park Fire Rescue Brigade reported that at around 16:00 on the 16th, a fire broke out during the dismantling and renovation of an old aircraft carrier on the Yangtze River in Suxitong Park. At present, fire, emergency, public security and other departments are working hard to deal with the incident at the scene. There are no casualties, and the cause of the accident is under investigation."

The Twitter account @oxminer_lowsen has posted these two photos of the fire. Everything indicates that the aircraft carrier would have been seriously damaged and beyond repair, given the dimensions of the fire.

+ UPDATED 17.8.2024 18:06: Twitter user @oxminer_lowsen posted these two photos of the aircraft carrier after the fire was extinguished:

It appears that the damage has mainly affected the ship's island, leaving its bridge and the entire upper part practically destroyed.