Today marks 15 years since the deadly explosion at the ‘Evangelos Florakis’ naval base in Mari, in which 13 people lost their lives while on duty.
The annual memorial service for the 13 men, who fell in the line of duty on 11 July 2011 took place in the morning at Agion Ieromartiron church, at ‘Evangelos Florakis’ Naval Base in Mari in the presence of the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and other officials. Christodoulides, delivered a memorial address and laid a wreath during the annual memorial service.
Later on he will lay a wreath at the Heroes’ Memorial at the premises of the Disaster Response Special Unit (EMAK) in Kofinou.
On 11 July 2011, three explosions – the most powerful occurring at around 5:30 a.m. – ripped through shipping containers storing munitions at the naval base, claiming the lives of 13 people, officers of the Cyprus National Guard, members of the Fire Service, and the Disaster Response Special Unit, while injuring dozens of others.
The naval base was completely devastated, and the blast wave caused extensive damage to the nearby Vasilikos Power Station, with significant repercussions for the country’s economy.
The 13 people who lost their lives in the explosion were, Commander of the Navy, Captain Andreas Ioannides, Lieutenant Commander, and commander of the naval base, Lambros Lambrou, Chief Petty Officer Cleanthis Cleanthous, Petty Officer Michalis Heracleous, Seamen Miltos Christoforou, Christakis Christoforou, and Andreas Charalambous, Fire Service Sergeant Andreas Papadopoulos, and Firefighter George Giakoumis, Vasilis Krokos, Spyros Ttantis, Panayiotis Theophilou, and Adamos Adamou
The Council of Ministers officially declared the 13 men who died in the line of duty to be national heroes.
Within the grounds of the naval base, Agion Ieromartiron church was built in memory of the 13 victims.