Evangelos Florakis Naval Base
Encyclopedia
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
Navy base
Naval base
A naval base is a military base, where warships and naval ships are deployed when they have no mission at sea or want to restock. Usually ships may also perform some minor repairs. Some naval bases are temporary homes to aircraft that usually stay on the ships but are undergoing maintenance while...
, situated on the island's southern coast adjacent to the Vasilikos industrial area and power plant, near Zygi
Zygi
Zygi is a small village located in the south of Cyprus between Limassol and Larnaca. The coastline of the Mediterranean Sea lies to the south. Before 1974, substantial Cypriot-Turks lived here and they named it as "Terazi" ....
, between Limassol
Limassol
Limassol is the second-largest city in Cyprus, with a population of 228,000 . It is the largest city in geographical size, and the biggest municipality on the island. The city is located on Akrotiri Bay, on the island's southern coast and it is the capital of Limassol District.Limassol is the...
and Larnaca
Larnaca
Larnaca, is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus after Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort...
. Prior to 11 July 2011, it was the main location of the Command of the Navy Base, one of the five primary commands (also referred to as sub-commands) of the Navy. It was responsible for overseeing all naval shore installations, facilities and associated personnel. The Command's current status is unclear.
It is named after Lt. General Evangelos Florakis
Evangelos Florakis
Evangelos Florakis was a Greek Army officer who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. After retiring from the Hellenic Army, from 2000 until his death in a helicopter accident in 2002 he commanded the Cypriot National Guard.- Life :...
, head of the Cypriot National Guard
Cypriot National Guard
The Cypriot National Guard , also known as the "Greek Cypriot National Guard" or simply as "National Guard", is the combined arms military force of the Republic of Cyprus...
, who was killed in a helicopter crash in July 2002. Prior to being renamed, it was known as the Mari Naval Base.
It was the site of the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion
Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion
The Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion was the worst peacetime military accident ever recorded in Cyprus. The incident occurred on 11 July 2011, when 98 containers of explosives that were being stored for 2½ years in the sun on the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base near Zygi self-detonated.The...
on 11 July 2011. The Commander of the Evangelos Florakis Navy Base, Lambros Lambrou, and the head of the Cyprus Navy, Andreas Ioannides
Andreas Ioannides (naval officer)
Captain Andreas Ioannides was a Greek Cypriot naval officer and head of the Cyprus Navy until his death in the Evangelos Florakis Navy Base explosion, which took place at the Evangelos Florakis Navy Base on July 11, 2011....
, were both killed in the accident.
