We will never allow neither the memory of the 13 heroes of the Mari explosion to fade away nor the responsibilities of the state to be deleted, President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades has stressed.
President Anastasiades was addressing a memorial service held Saturday at the “Evangelos Florakis” naval base, on the southern coast, where the explosion occurred on July 11th 2011 claiming the lives of 13 men, naval personnel and firemen, who were declared national heroes for their bravery.
In his speech, President announced the decision taken by his Cabinet to set up a Monitoring Committee aiming at addressing the issues facing the relatives of the victims and concluding the
process of erecting a monument and a church on the site of the tragedy.
“Our sorrow for the tragic and unfair loss of our heroes will always challenge our consciences,” said Nicos Anastasiades, adding that it will reflect negligence and failure of the State and guide our steps on the path towards our country’s future.
“We feel the pain and sorrow and understand the anger and rage of the parents, spouses, children and siblings of those who unfairly and tragically lost theirs lives carrying on their shoulders the
political and administrative responsibilities and inadequacies of others”, he noted
President Anastasiades unveiled on Saturday in a heavily emotional atmosphere a monument dedicated to the six members of the fire service’s disaster response unit (EMAK) who died in the July 11 tragedy in Mari and inaugurated the new building of the Unit in Kofinou village
Thirteen people were killed and around 60 were injured on July 11, 2011, when a massive explosion occurred at the naval base, badly damaging the island’s main power plant, at Vasiliko.
The blast occurred in containers, full of munitions, which Cyprus had confiscated from “Monchegorsk”, a vessel sailing from Iran to Syria in 2009 after it was determined they were in breach of UN Security Council resolutions on Iran. They had been stored at the Evangelos Florakis naval base in containers that were left exposed to the elements until the day they exploded.
The shock wave of the blast caused significant damage to the island’s biggest power station, located in the area, which has had a fallout on the economy.