Chinese media reported that a major fire broke out on the former Soviet Kiev-Minsk-class aircraft carrier, sleeping in an artificial lake along the Yangtze River in China for many years. The ship, once a powerful part of the Soviet Navy, is now at the center of a large-scale emergency response.
According to the Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park Fire Brigade. Which is responsible for disaster relief, the fire broke out at around 4 p.m. local time on August 16. The fire broke out during the dismantling and reconstruction of the aircraft carrier in Suxitong Park, located north of the Sutong Bridge. Where Minsk has been moored since 2016.
At present, Chinese emergency departments, including firefighters, police, and other relevant departments, are on the scene to put out the fire and try to control the situation.
Fortunately, there are no reports of casualties. However, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Minsk was launched in 1978 and symbolized Soviet naval power during the Cold War. After serving in the Soviet Navy, the ship was decommissioned in 1993 and sold to South Korea’s Daewoo Heavy Industries. In 1998, a Chinese company took over the carrier and transformed it into a military theme park in Shenzhen’s Yantian District.
Soviet Minsk Aircraft Carrier Catches Fire In China
In January 2013, the carrier changed hands again and was purchased by Dalian Yongjia Group. The following year, Dalian Yongjia signed an investment agreement with Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park (now Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park) to turn the carrier into a tourist center.
After moving from Shenzhen to Nantong in 2016, Minsk remained largely inactive. Starkly contrasting her once proud service in the Soviet fleet. Plans to transform the aircraft carrier into a resort were never fully realized. And the ship became a decaying relic of a bygone era.
This ongoing fire marks another chapter in Minsk’s turbulent history since decommissioning. The incident underscores the formidable challenges of repurposing and maintaining decommissioned naval vessels, especially those with complex and storied histories.
Minsk’s future remains uncertain, but this fire may mark the end of its long and tortuous journey.
