Former defence minister guilty over lethal Cyprus explosion The blast damaged the Cyprus economy and contributed to its need for an international bailout Four people, including a former minister, have been found guilty over the deaths of 13 people in a munitions blast at a naval base in southern Cyprus two years ago. The explosion wreaked havoc on the island's economy. Costas Papacostas, 74, the ex-defence minister, was found guilty of manslaughter which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The other three, including the chief and deputy chief of the fire service, were found guilty of causing death by negligence and face up to four years in jail. The blast on July 11, 2011 killed six firefighters and seven naval personnel, including the navy chief and the base commander. It also wrecked the island's biggest power station, located nearby, causing damage estimated at €2bn and widespread power cuts. The disaster had a crippling effect on the economy and was one of the reasons that Cyprus was forced to seek an international bailout. The explosion was caused by a cache of munitions that had been seized two and half years earlier from a Russian Cyprus-flagged vessel as it sailed from Iran to Syria in violation of UN Security Council resolutions against Iran. The ruling, by a court in Larnaca, angered many of the victims" relatives, who said they wanted to see more people in the dock and facing life sentences. Some said they might sue Demetris Christofias, president at the time of the blast, even though he enjoys immunity from prosecution under the constitution. There was a public outcry after the explosion and demonstrators called for Mr Christofias" resignation. A public investigation in October 2011 found him politically responsible for the blast but he denied any wrong doing. The four defendants were ordered to remain in custody until July 24 when the court will hear mitigation pleas from defence lawyers before sentencing. Mr Papacostas, who has health problems, was admitted to hospital shortly after the verdict. Two other defendants, Marcos Kyprianou, a former foreign minister, and Savvas Argyrou, National Guard deputy commander, were acquitted. The three-judge court found that Mr Kyprianou, a former European commissioner, had no authority over the munitions cargo and was merely implementing the policy of President Christofias.