The Kyrenia Nautical Club held its annual kayak memorial event last Sunday, August 3, to pay tribute to the 13 victims of the Mari explosion.

The event was organised for the twelfth consecutive year, with the organisers telling the Cyprus Mail that it has now become “a tradition dedicated to preserving the memory of those who lost their lives in the tragic incident”.

A total of 101 participants took part in this year’s commemoration.

Fifty-six adults paddled a 20-kilometre route from the Evangelos Florakis naval base to the Kyrenia Nautical Club.

Another forty-five children under the age of 14 followed a shorter, symbolic 5-kilometre course.

“The event aimed to honour the memory of the victims,” the organisers said.

The tragedy at the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base in Mari occurred on July 11, 2011, when a large quantity of confiscated explosives ignited, resulting in the deaths of 13 individuals, including naval officers, firemen, and soldiers.

The annual kayak journey is seen as a meaningful act of remembrance, bringing together community members of all ages.