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A few days ago, a fire broke out on a scrapped aircraft carrier during its dismantling and reconstruction in Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park, Nantong, Jiangsu. Soon, it was confirmed that the scrapped aircraft carrier was the Minsk (also known as Minsk).

The Minsk was once owned by the former Soviet Navy and was decommissioned in 1993. In 1998, a Chinese company took over the Minsk and built the country's first military theme park with an aircraft carrier as its main theme in Shenzhen in 2000. At that time, a tourism promotion slogan was widely circulated: "Go to Shenzhen and see the aircraft carrier!" Many Shenzhen citizens had "close contact" with this aircraft carrier, leaving unforgettable memories.

In 2016, the "Minsk" aircraft carrier was "transferred" from Shenzhen to Nantong, Jiangsu. It was originally planned to build the "Aircraft Carrier World" tourist resort project, but it was delayed in construction. At the beginning of this year, the local government stated that the upgrade and renovation of the aircraft carrier is expected to start in March. On August 19, relevant personnel from the Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park told Nandu and N Video reporters that the upgrade and renovation of the aircraft carrier was indeed started in the first half of this year. However, the other party did not give a clear response to whether the progress of the construction of related projects was affected after the fire. The fate of the "Minsk" aircraft carrier is a bit uncertain.

Tourists visit the Minsk aircraft carrier in Shenzhen (data map)

Aircraft carrier on fire

On the afternoon of August 16, an aircraft carrier caught fire in the Nantong Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park. Before the fire, it was docked on the west side of the north wing of the Sutong Yangtze River Highway Bridge for 8 years.

In the fire department’s report, it was called a "scrapped aircraft carrier" and revealed that the fire broke out when the aircraft carrier was being dismantled and renovated. Fire rescue, emergency, public security and other departments rushed to the scene to deal with the situation. There were no casualties and the cause of the accident is under investigation.

The video shows that at first, thick smoke came out of a row of portholes below the starboard island of the abandoned aircraft carrier, and the fire spread to a large area. After nightfall, the fire gradually spread upwards, and open flames were seen in front of the island, burning through 4 to 5 decks from the initial location of the smoke.

After the fire, the aircraft carrier's island, mast and part of the chimney had been burned and collapsed. The hull was still intact, but it was obviously tilted. According to media reports, on the afternoon of the 17th, the relevant departments of Nantong said that the fire rescue and disposal were nearing the end.

Scene after the fire

On the morning of the 18th, Nandu reporters called Nantong Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park to inquire about the relevant situation, and the staff said "I don't know". Later, Nandu reporters learned from the Nantong Fire Rescue Brigade that the scrapped aircraft carrier was the Minsk aircraft carrier that arrived in Nantong in 2016, and the follow-up situation could not be disclosed for the time being.

The aircraft carrier has been moored in Nantong for many years and has not been used. At the beginning of this year, the local authorities expressed their intention to upgrade and renovate the "Minsk" aircraft carrier.

Nantong Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park said in January that there is new news about the Minsk aircraft carrier. The first phase of the Sutong Yangtze River Ecological Cultural Park project is about to start, including the upgrade and renovation of the Minsk aircraft carrier and the national defense science education base. The aircraft carrier upgrade and renovation is expected to start in March, and the national defense science education base with the Minsk aircraft carrier as the main body will be open to the public before the National Day.

Now, a fire has made the upgrade and transformation of the Minsk aircraft carrier full of uncertainty.

On the afternoon of the 19th, a person from the Suzhou-Wuxi-Tonghai Science and Technology Industrial Park told the Southern Metropolis Daily that the aircraft carrier upgrade and renovation work had indeed started in the first half of this year. However, the other party did not give a clear response as to whether the progress of the relevant projects had been affected after the fire.

"In 2004, in Shenzhen, I boarded an aircraft carrier and was still arguing with my parents. Twenty years have passed in a flash."

"The Minsk aircraft carrier was once a business card of Shenzhen. At that time, when we received friends who came to Shenzhen, we visited Window of the World, Splendid China, Happy Valley, the Minsk aircraft carrier, Dameisha and Xiaomeisha, which was equivalent to seeing the whole city."

The fire in Nantong touched the memory of netizens in Shenzhen, more than a thousand kilometers away, because the Minsk aircraft carrier has been "closely contacted" by the most people since its "birth" and "settlement" in Shenzhen.

Shenzhen, the "Minsk" aircraft carrier at sunset (data map)

Shenzhen Memories

The Minsk aircraft carrier was built at the Nikolayev Shipyard in the former Soviet Union on December 28, 1972, and officially entered service with the Pacific Fleet on September 8, 1978. Its standard displacement is 36,576 tons, its full load displacement is 42,000 tons, its endurance is 4,000-13,500 nautical miles, and it carries 12 Yak-38 vertical take-off and landing fighters and 19 Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters. The crew of the ship exceeds 2,000 people. When it was launched, the Minsk was the fifth largest aircraft carrier in the world.

After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia inherited the carrier. However, due to the backward economy of Russia after the disintegration and the fact that the Nikolayev Shipyard had been relocated to Ukraine, Russia was unable to afford the operation and maintenance costs, so it decided to retire it early in 1993.

In 1995, the Minsk aircraft carrier was sold by Russia to South Korea's Daewoo Heavy Industries Group. In 1998, a Chinese company took over and later built an aircraft carrier military theme park in Shenzhen's Yantian District.

According to information, the "Minsk" aircraft carrier is moored at the Shatoujiao waterfront in Shenzhen. The "Minsk Aircraft Carrier World" integrates tourism, science education, and national defense education. It is the country's first military theme park with an aircraft carrier as its main body.

The Minsk docked in Shenzhen (data map)

The "Minsk Aircraft Carrier World" opened on September 27, 2000, and received more than 400,000 visitors in October of that year, with ticket revenue reaching more than 40 million yuan. At that time, the "Minsk" aircraft carrier was regarded as "the myth of Shenzhen."

At that time, a tourism promotion slogan was widely circulated: "Go to Shenzhen and see the aircraft carrier!"

The way Shenzhen people greet each other has become: "Where are you running?" "At the aircraft carrier!" "Let's go take a walk at the aircraft carrier after dinner."

After being anchored in Shenzhen for more than ten years, the aircraft carrier itself has always been the most attractive "signboard". A Shenzhen citizen who once boarded the "Minsk" aircraft carrier said: "The ticket price was indeed not cheap at that time, but it was all worth it. What impressed me most was the movie in the 4D theater. It was as if I was really in the combat mission of the "Minsk". The shock and amazement cannot be described in words."

Another Shenzhen netizen recalled, "I went there during a spring outing in elementary school. I remember that there was a large deck on the aircraft carrier. 'Minsk' can be said to be my 'military enlightenment'."

In addition to being a tourist attraction, it has been transformed into a cool show venue many times, attracting the attention of many brands and events. For example, at a new car launch event for a luxury car brand, nearly a thousand people gathered on the aircraft carrier flight deck to witness the debut of dozens of luxury cars. At another brand launch event, movie star Nicholas Tse took a helicopter to land directly on the aircraft carrier deck, and the shocking scene is still talked about today.

In addition, the Minsk aircraft carrier is also the filming location for many popular variety shows. Well-known variety shows such as "Running Man" and "Go Fighting" have filmed highlights here.

Nantong trip

On April 2, 2016, the Minsk aircraft carrier, which had been moored at the seaside of Shatoujiao, Shenzhen for 16 years, was towed away from the pier and began its journey northward. On May 5, after about a month's journey, the aircraft carrier arrived at Nantong Sutong Science and Technology Industrial Park (now Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park).

In fact, before this, this "giant" that came to China had always had a rough fate.

In 2004, due to the influence of the capital party's loan and guarantee, the company involved could not repay the due debts due due to the huge bank interest. The relevant bank applied to the court to make the "Minsk" aircraft carrier company bankrupt and repay the debts. In 2006, another company took over the operation. In 2007, it was rumored that the aircraft carrier would be relocated to Huidong, Huizhou. In 2010, "Minsk" changed its owner again.

It was not until 2013 that Dalian Yongjia Group bought the Minsk. The following year, Yongjia Group signed an investment agreement for an aircraft carrier tourism resort with Nantong Sutong Science and Technology Industrial Park, announcing that the aircraft carrier would be located in Nantong.

After arriving in Nantong from Shenzhen, the Minsk aircraft carrier anchored in the river near the Sutong Science and Technology Industrial Park. According to local media reports in Nantong, Yongjia Group was planning to build a "Aircraft Carrier World" tourist resort project in the industrial park with a total investment of more than 10 billion yuan.

The "Aircraft Carrier World" tourist resort project focuses on two major theme parks: the "Minsk" aircraft carrier world and the "Dream World". The former uses the "Minsk" aircraft carrier as the main body, upgrades the ship's hull, and develops highly participatory entertainment projects around military themes. According to the plan, the first phase of the aircraft carrier world will start construction in 2015 and open in 2017.

However, as time went by, the renovation plan that should have been implemented has not yet started.

In July 2020, the Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park issued a document stating that the "Aircraft Carrier Park" project, which has attracted much attention from Nantong citizens, has made significant progress. At the signing ceremony of the Nantong Yangtze River Aircraft Carrier International Tourism Resort Project Investment Agreement, the Industrial Park and Dalian Yongjia Group signed an on-site agreement.

The rendering of the "Aircraft Carrier Park" released by Nantong

The above article introduces that the project will be implemented in three phases. Phase I includes Langshan Exploration Bay and Aircraft Carrier Patriotic Education Base, Phase II includes theme parks, supporting hotels, circus theaters, and commercial blocks, and Phase III is reserved for cultural and tourism projects. After the opening of Phases I and II, the annual passenger flow will reach 7 million. The total investment of the project is 16 billion yuan, and the investor and builder is Dalian Yongjia Group. The first phase of the project has an investment of 3 billion yuan and is scheduled to start in January 2021 and open on May 1, 2022. The second phase of the project has an investment of 13 billion yuan and is scheduled to start in early 2022 and open in 2025.

At the end of August 2021, a netizen asked on the mailbox platform of Suzhou-Wuxi-Tonghai Science and Technology Industrial Park when the "Aircraft Carrier Park" would start construction: "Tomorrow after tomorrow, how many tomorrows are there? Year after year has passed, and there is still no news... There are more than three months left in this year, and I dare to ask if it will be next year?"

At that time, the Suxitong Science and Technology Industrial Park replied: "The land for the project has been acquired. After communicating with the project party, the design of the scheme is currently being deepened, and we will strive to start construction before the end of this year."

Judging from the subsequent results, the project progress was still not smooth.

Uncertain future

In recent years, the Minsk aircraft carrier has also become a subject of many short video bloggers. The scene shot by a blogger shows that the Minsk is not only rusty on the surface, but even its equipment and decorations have signs of being dismantled or damaged.

At the same time, local people in Nantong still hold out hope for the revitalization and transformation of the aircraft carrier and aircraft carrier-related cultural and tourism projects.

In June 2022, Nantong issued the "Implementation Plan for the Construction of "Four Major Business Districts and Two Major Clusters", which once again mentioned that the city will use the aircraft carrier theme park, Nantong Famous Products Museum, etc. as carriers to create a central leisure and tourism business district.

Until the end of June 2024, the "Nantong Release" public account published an article stating that the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism released the "List of Jiangsu Province's Key Cultural and Tourism Industry Projects in 2024", and 6 projects in Nantong were selected. Among them, the Nantong Sutong Yangtze River Ecological Culture Park (Phase I) project is a "new project", which includes a national defense science education base and the resurrection and transformation of the "Minsk" aircraft carrier.

Not only are the locals "obsessed" with the aircraft carrier, but after the fire, the Minsk has returned to public attention from its silent state.

Night view of the aircraft carrier "Minsk"

A reporter from Nandu learned that before the Minsk Aircraft Carrier World in Shenzhen closed down, there were two aircraft carrier theme parks in the country: the Minsk Aircraft Carrier World in Shenzhen, where you can see the "Minsk" aircraft carrier; and the Tianjin TEDA Aircraft Carrier Theme Park, where you can see the "Kiev" aircraft carrier.

Public information shows that the "Kiev" and "Minsk" aircraft carriers are twin brothers, both of which belong to the Kiev-class aircraft carriers. The former Soviet Union built a total of four Kiev-class aircraft carriers, each named "Kiev", "Minsk", "Novorossiysk" and "Baku".

Today, Tianjin TEDA Aircraft Carrier Theme Park is still quite popular. In May this year, many "military fans" took advantage of their holidays to visit the aircraft carrier theme park and boarded the "Kiev" aircraft carrier to "see the majestic momentum of the aircraft carrier." One netizen commented: "As a 'military fan', it is undoubtedly exciting to be able to board a real aircraft carrier!"

In July, TEDA Aircraft Carrier, an affiliated company of Tianjin TEDA Aircraft Carrier Theme Park, released its performance forecast, with the net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company expected to be 13.33 million yuan in the first half of 2024, a year-on-year increase of 141% compared with 5.54 million yuan in the same period last year.

In contrast, the fate of the Minsk aircraft carrier is somewhat uncertain. On August 19, a staff member of the Nantong Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism told Nandu reporters that they were not clear about the progress of the Minsk aircraft carrier's transformation because they were "not the competent department."

What the future of this aircraft carrier will be remains to be seen.

Produced by: Nandu Instant

Coordinator: Southern Metropolis Daily reporter Xiang Xueni and Ma Hui

Written by: Trainee reporter Xue Kaiying, Southern Metropolis Daily reporter Ma Hui