Admiral Kuznetsov 20191212
A file photo taken on May 19, 2018 shows Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov tied up at a Rosatomflot moorage of the Russian northern port city of Murmansk. Image Credit: AFP

MOSCOW: Russia's only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, caught fire on Thursday during maintenance work in Russia's Arctic port in Murmansk, with three people unaccounted for, Russian news agencies reported.

One source told the TASS news agency that the fire had started on the upper deck and that thick, black smoke was billowing from the vessel.

The Admiral Kuznetsov has been undergoing repairs for more than two years in Murmansk and suffered previous damage in October 2018 when a crane crashed onto its deck.