MARI — 2011 · Major Tragedy
The Mari Naval Base Explosion
On the morning of 11 July 2011, munitions seized from a ship in 2009 and stored for years in open-air containers at the Evangelos Florakis naval base in Cyprus exploded. The blast killed 13 people, including the navy commander and six firefighters, and injured 62. The nearby Vasilikos power station was badly damaged, cutting roughly half of the island's electricity, with losses estimated in billions of euros. The disaster sparked mass protests. An independent inquiry concluded that then-President Demetris Christofias bore 'institutional and very serious personal responsibility'.
- Date
- 2011
- Place
- Larnaca district, Cyprus, Mari, CY
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 34.7300, 33.3000 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 2009Containers of seized munitions were taken to the Mari base.
- 11 July 2011The munitions exploded; 13 people died.
- July 2011The Vasilikos plant was knocked out; protests erupted in Nicosia.
- October 2011An inquiry found the president bore responsibility.
Sources
- BBC News — Cyprus naval base blast bbc.co.uk ↗
- BBC News — Cyprus protest over deadly blast at navy base bbc.co.uk ↗
- VOA — Anger grows in Cyprus over munitions blast voanews.com ↗
- BBC News
- Voice of America
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
Related Cases
More cases from the 2010s
Categories
Collections
🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.