Smoke rises from the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego after an explosion and fire last year at Naval Base San Diego.

Smoke rises from the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego after an explosion and fire last year at Naval Base San Diego.

Navy charged a sailor Thursday with starting a fire last year that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard docked off San Diego, marking the maritime branch's worst warship blaze outside of combat in recent memory.

The sailor was charged with aggravated arson and the willful hazarding of a vessel, Robertson said.

A sailor has been charged with arson in the explosion and fire on board the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego last year.

A sailor has been charged with arson in the explosion and fire on board the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego last year.

About 160 sailors and officers were on board when the flames sent up a huge plume of dark smoke from the 840-foot (256-meter) vessel, which had been docked at Naval Base San Diego while undergoing the upgrade