One Killed, 10 Injured In Fire Aboard Russia's Only Aircraft Carrier

Smoke rises from Russia's only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, in Murmansk on December 12.

A serviceman died and an officer was missing after Russia's only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, caught fire in an Arctic shipyard, the Northern Fleet's press service says.

Officials said at least 10 people were hospitalized with injuries sustained during a fire that broke out on December 12 while the vessel was undergoing repairs in a shipyard in the northwestern region of Murmansk.

One of the injured was said to be in serious condition.

The president of Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation, Aleksei Rakhmanov, said that the fire occurred during welding works.

Investigators said they had launched a probe into possible construction violations.

The Admiral Kuznetsov sustained damage during repair work last year when the floating dock holding it sank and a crane crashed onto its deck.

The flagship of the Russian Navy became fully operational in 1995.

With reporting by TASS, Interfax, RenTV, Interfax, Reuters, and AFP