Admiral Kuznetsov was damaged when the floating dock in which it was being repaired sank

Russia could be without an aircraft carrier for the first time in more than four decades after an accident during repairs in the Arctic left a hole in its flight deck.

Admiral Kuznetsov was damaged after the floating dock where it was being worked on sank last week, causing a 70-tonne crane to crash on to the vessel, killing one person and critically injured two others. Russian officials have downplayed the damage to the ship, but admit that the crane tore a 5m (16ft) hole in its deck. A week after the accident near Murmansk, pictures that emerged yesterday showed the crane still lying on the flight deck.

The carrier’s woes have sparked predictions that it could be scrapped. It has been transferred to another