Mari Explosion Probe Set to Disclose Conclusions

The single-member committee investigating the deadly explosion at Mari naval base completed its findings today (September 30th) and will present them to President Demetris Christofias, Attorney-general Petros Clerides and House Speaker Yiannakis Omirou on October 3rd.

There will be a press conference at the Ministry of Finance at midday on October 3rd, said the head of the committee Polys Polyviou.

Several high-level government officials testified at the hearings, including former Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou, former Ministry of Defence Costas Papacostas and President Christofias. Officers in the fire service and army also testified about the explosion, which killed 13 men and critically damaged the island's largest power plant, Vasiliko, on July 11th.

The committee is investigating what level of responsibility each person and institution carries and the attorney-general will decide on prosecutions.

The explosion was caused by unstable gunpowder and nitroglycerine that had been stored in the open air at Evangelos Florakis base since they were confiscated from Iran in 2009.