Russian Aircraft Carrier Accident

Floating Dock Sinks with Russian Aircraft Carrier, casualties reported..........



The PD-50, one of the world's largest floating docks and the only one used to repair Russia's ill-fated aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, has sunk during the repairs to the vessel.

The accident happened at the 82nd repair shipyard in the village of Roslyakovo in Russia's Murmansk Oblast in the early hours of October 30, the local publication SeverPost reported.

Two tower cranes fell, and one of them hit the aircraft carrier's deck.

SeverPost informed about three injured persons. According to early reports, shipyard workers may have fallen into the water. There might be lethal cases, the publication wrote.

About 70 people have reportedly been evacuated from the shipyard's territory.


https://www.unian.info/world/10317339-f ... 0jCVo0vYtI

Further information..........


http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/24 ... tally-sunk

The Chinese would probably be willing to complete the servicing at Dalian for the price of a dozen or two Su-35s at its dry dock, which can't sink, if the CV could ever sail that far.

Two tower cranes fell, and one of them hit the aircraft carrier's deck.

Russia is saying there's no damage, but a crane hitting the deck makes that pretty unlikely.

Aircraft carrier is damaged as dry dock sinks

One person is reported dead and Russia’s only aircraft carrier has been damaged as dry dock sinks into the waters of the Kola Bay.


By
Atle Staalesen


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October 30, 2018







It was early morning Tuesday in Roslyakovo, near Murmansk, when Russia’s biggest dry dock experienced serious technical problems reportedly triggered by a power outage.

The accident started as aircraft carrier «Admiral Kuzentsov» was to be taken out of the dock and into the nearby waters, Interfax reports. The vessel was damaged as two large cranes fell over the ship deck, sources tell the news agency.

There has not come any official comments from Zvezdochka, the company that operates yard No 82 in Roslyakovo. However, regional Governor Marina Kovtun has issued a video report about the incident.

«It is hard to say what is the reason for the accident,» Kovtun says in the comment distributed on Twitter. «There are rescue services on site and divers in the water, and also a group from the Northern Fleet as well as an investigative team»

The accident happened as the aircraft carrier was to be taken out of the dry dock. The ship has now been towed to the nearby Sevmorput Yard No 35, yard press spokesman Yevgeny Gladyshev told Interfax. He makes clear that the power outage was what caused the accident.....


https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/secur ... dock-sinks

The accident appears to be a major set back for the Russian military machine since the dock is seen as the only one suitable for the aircraft carrier and the Pyotr Velikiy Kirov-class battlecruiser.

An eye-witness told Murmansky Vestnik newspaper: “The dock sank partially at first, then it broke and went underwater completely, now even its machine tower is not visible.”


https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/10 ... d-accident

Russia is saying there's no damage, but a crane hitting the deck makes that pretty unlikely.

Can anyone really believe Russian state/government controlled media outlets?

So power outage stopped the pumps while it was purging ballast? I cannot believe it wouldn't prevent backflow.

Just sink the Kustenov already, it's been a lot more trouble than it's worth. In fact, it's a great embarrassment for Russia - especially that Syrian deployment.

Russians and carrier aviation never did work out too well. It was interesting how they modified various Flanker, Fulcrum and Frogfoot aircraft to fly on and off the ship, but the vessel itself was extremely limited. If/I'm not mistaken, they've cancelled their "super carrier", probably a wise move. Better to plow more $ into submarines, long range naval aviation and the like vs. carriers.

Which makes China's foray into the carrier world very interesting. Thus far, they've copied or outright bought Russian designs with all of their inherent limitations. There's apparently a supercarrier/Nimitz size vessel with more traditional catapaults (or however you spell it), but that brings up the lack of a suitable fighter. The J-15 Flopping Fish or whatever is terribly accident prone, overweight and appears sluggish in the air. It'll have to be the J-31/their version of the joint strike fighter. Even then, they'll need tankers, AWACS etc to bring to bear the full range of capabilities American carriers enjoy.

Maybe the J-31 will be their Super Hornet. One platform for every mission. Alas, I don't think they're that dumb..

Unsurprisingly, Russia was severely understating the severity of the accident: https://iz.ru/806496/ilia-kramnik/upust ... -ne-utonul

According to the Izvestia correspondent, from sources in the ship repair industry, the aircraft carrier’s withdrawal from the dock was not planned and when the PD-50 began to sink, the ship was on the dock’s deck, not being ready to leave.

The prerequisite for the accident was indeed problems with power supply, however, the dock did not switch to its own power, since the PD-50 motor team was reduced, and the fuel for diesel generators was not purchased.

According to sources, Kuznetsova was rescued by the well-coordinated work of the crew remaining onboard during the repair, which in due time began the struggle for survivability and saved the ship from being flooded, despite the flow of water through the open outboard fittings and holes made during the repair. As a result, the ship remained afloat. The crew of the Kuznetsov also organized the rescue of the dock crew. As a result, the aircraft carrier, having received several thousand tons of water, was towed to the berth of the 35th shipyard - to its usual place of anchorage.

During the flooding dock tilted, which led to the fall of the crane on the deck of the aircraft carrier. In addition, according to the President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation Alexei Rakhmanov, the ship received a hole in the surface part of the board with an area of ​​about 20 square meters.

So the ship nearly sank, and will likely require extensive repairs.

So basically someone forgot to secure fuel enough to keep the drydock sumps functioning. The ship hull was breached for repairs when the incident occurred, filling the hull that inconveniently was open for easy of passage for work crews. During the incident crews tried to secure the open hatches in the ship, but were only moderately successful. If the drydock shifted enough to topple a crane then it shifted enough for the hull to shift in its moorage. We're going to find out twenty years from now there were many more workers killed or injured than they admitted AND the ship internal framework was bent permanently.

Honestly, my concern now is China may persuade Russia to sell her the Kuznetsov. Which, she could rebuild like the Liaoning (Type 001). This would give the PLAN three Kuznetsov Class large Aircraft Carriers. Shortly to be followed by a forth equipped with both Catapults and Arresting Gear.

So having the floating drydock accompany the Kuznetsov on her next cruise is out of the question?

So power outage stopped the pumps while it was purging ballast? I cannot believe it wouldn't prevent backflow.

Theres fails, and theres Russian fails.

For all the people who suck them off for the AK-47 like simplicity they think all Russian systems are imbued with, its shocking how often Russian systems fail at the basics.