Supreme Court increases compensation for Mari explosion victim

The Supreme Court increased compensation awarded to a soldier who suffered personal injuries in the July 11, 2011, explosion at Evangelos Florakis naval base in Mari, it was made known on Wednesday.

In its decision, the court of first instance had awarded €80,000 as general damages.

The ruling was appealed by the attorney-general, who thought the damages excessive.

The Supreme Court raised the damages to €90,000, an amount that also included the loss of future earnings, set at €50,000.

In its unanimous decision, the court said July 11, 2011, was a difficult day for the Republic of Cyprus as the explosion that occurred at the Evangelos Florakis naval base resulted, in addition to causing extensive damage, in the death of a number of people and the injury of others.

The appellant, aged 19 at the time, was serving at the naval base and on the day of the explosion was on duty and suffered permanent hearing loss and tinnitus as a result.

In 2016, the Larnaca district court awarded the soldier the amount of €80,000 as general damages.

The Mari blast was caused by 98 containers of explosives stored under the scorching sun, which self-detonated, killing 13 and injuring 62.

It also severely damaged the nearby Vasiliko power station, causing rolling power cuts.

The munitions had been confiscated in 2009 from a Cyprus-flagged ship en route to Syria and were then stacked in an open space at the base and left exposed to the elements until the day of the explosion, despite repeated warnings about risks.