Russian tugboat Kapitan Ushakov sinks after failed night rescue in Saint Petersburg
Photo: the sunken Russian Navy tugboat Kapitan Ushakov near the pier (Russian media)
In Saint Petersburg, Russia, the tugboat Kapitan Ushakov sank right next to the pier of a ship repair yard. Rescue efforts lasted through the night but failed, reports Russian media.
The tugboat sank and capsized near the Baltic Shipyard pier. On the evening of August 8, yard workers and crew members noticed the tugboat was listing to starboard and taking on water.
They immediately tried to save it, but by early morning on August 9, Kapitan Ushakov had fully sunk and rested on the seabed on its starboard side. Part of the vessel remained above water.
Interestingly, the tugboat belonged to the Yaroslavl Shipbuilding Plant. The Baltic Shipyard was finishing its construction after the vessel was launched in June 2022.
Project 23470 tugboats are sea vessels designed to tow other ships, floating objects, and marine structures at sea, including in icy conditions. They can also escort ships into ports, dock them, perform escort operations, and pull ships off sandbanks.
Russia planned to have six tugboats of this type. As of 2025, three are operational, while the others remain at various stages of completion, including Kapitan Ushakov.
In July 2025, Russia suddenly discussed scrapping the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. The 40-year-old ship reportedly no longer meets modern demands.
Admiral Kuznetsov has been under repair since 2018. During this period, it experienced several incidents, including a floating dock accident and multiple fires. For example, a fire in late December 2022 permanently kept Kuznetsov docked.
