The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.

Blogger Tips and Tricks

This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Congo, Blast kills at least 150 people...[ 2763 ]

Brazzaville munitions dump blast 'kills scores'

Video from Kinshasa showing blast in Brazzaville. 4 March 2012

The blasts could be seen from across the Congo River, in Kinshasa

-

At least 150 people are reported to have been killed following huge explosions at an arms dump in Congo's capital Brazzaville.

The force of the blasts was felt several miles away in the city of Kinshasa, across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

-

Hundreds more people are reported to have been injured in the explosions.

The BBC's Thomas Hubert, in Kinshasa, says residents of east Brazzaville fled when the blasts began.

Although Congo has suffered coups and a civil war in the past, it has been largely peaceful since the 1990s.

-

A European diplomat in Brazzaville told AFP news agency: "We count at least 150 dead in the military hospitals and around 1,500 injured, some of them seriously."

An official in the president's office quoted by Reuters put the death toll at about 200, citing hospital sources.

A doctor in the French embassy in Brazzaville, who visited local hospitals, said about 500 people had been injured.

Map locator

-

State radio, citing Defence Minister Charles Zacharie Bowao, said the explosions had been caused by a fire in the arms depot in the Regiment Blinde base in the riverside neighbourhood of Mpila.

-

Mr Bowao appeared on national TV to urge calm in Brazzaville and across the Congo river in Kinshasa.

"The explosions that you have heard don't mean there is a war or a coup d'etat," he said.

"Nor does it mean there was a mutiny. It is an incident caused by a fire at the munitions depot."

Witnesses said troops and police had sealed off the area.

Didier Boutsindi, of the presidential office, said many people were trapped in the wreckage of a collapsed church.

-

In Kinshasa, windows were blown out and roofs damaged by the blasts.

The Chinese Xinhua news agency said one Chinese worker had been killed and several others injured.

It said there were about 140 Chinese workers from a Beijing construction company in the area when the explosions took place.

-

Related Stories

No comments:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)