Mari inquiry: victims died ‘for no reason’ Polyviou says

THE investigator looking into the naval base blast that killed 13 men said the loss of life was unnecessary and could have been avoided.

“I believe the loss of the 13 men was completely unnecessary and is even more tragic because it was unnecessary,” Polys Polyviou said.

The 13 – seven sailors and six firemen – died when 98 containers filled with munitions confiscated from a ship sailing from Iran to Syria blew up on the morning of July 11. The containers, mostly filled with gunpowder, had been stacked in a single solid cube exposed to the elements for over two years.

The blast also incapacitated the island’s main electricity plant causing rolling power cuts that lasted for around a month.

“The only certain conclusion” is that the 13 dead are a huge loss that should not have happened, Polyviou said, as the last scheduled witness testified at his inquiry.

He said fatalities are expected when there is a war but “the 13 died for no reason whatsoever – it was a tragic, unnecessary sacrifice that could have been avoided with the proper handling up until the last moment.”

“These 13 men went there to help. They could have stayed away” but “they went to an almost certain death and this makes their loss both heroic and astounding,” the 62-year-old lawyer said. 

Polyviou is tasked with identifying potential political responsibility that led to the accident and is not mandated to bring any criminal charges.

That will be done by the police who have launched a criminal investigation into the incident.

Polyviou has so far amassed thousands of documents connected with the munitions – from before their seizure in February 2009 – and summoned 32 people to testify at his inquiry including President Demetris Christofias.

The scheduled testimonies concluded yesterday though he said he may call additional witnesses if necessary.

Polyviou has said he intends to deliver his findings report at this end of this month.

“I believe September 30 is feasible, despite it being a very difficult deadline,” Polyviou said.

The government has said it will publish the report.

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