Moscow, Jul 23 (IANS/RIA Novosti): A cook in the Russian city of St. Petersburg went on a stabbing rampage, attacking tourists in the pier, after being sacked from a river cruise ship, according to Fontanka.ru website.

The 31-year-old man started shouting madly as he went on stabbing people deliberately with two knives, injuring a tourist and a security guard, the report said. He also claimed to be carrying a bomb in his bag which later proved to be a lie.

However, another security guard deputed there pulled an air gun and wounded the agitated cook with a few shots, the website said.

The cook used to work on the Sergei Dyagilev cruise ship but was dismissed from duty over unexplained reasons after a single trip.

As the man was not under influence but appeared insane, the report said, it could get him out of the charges of hooliganism and inflicting grave bodily harm.

According to city administration's figures, some five million people visit St. Petersburg annually,