First pictures emerge of a Russian man whose ammonium nitrate cargo detonated in the port of Beirut

By The Siberian Times reporter

05 August 2020

The 2,750 tonnes cargo of Khabarovsk-born businessman Igor Grechushkin was detained in Lebanon in 2013.

Igor Grechushkin is reported to be still residing in Limassol, Cyprus with his wife. Picture: Ren TV

The Russian father of one, currently reported to be living in Limassol, Cyprus, was accused by the crew of his ship in abandoning both the people and the cargo.

The ship called Rhosus was going under the flag of Moldova from Batumi in Georgia to Mozambique. It was detained in October 2013 by Lebanese authorities after it stopped in Beirut due to a malfunction on board.

The cargo was checked and detained after the port authorities said it was ‘lacking documents and conditions necessary for transportation.’

The crew - eight Ukrainian and two Russian men - was forced to stay on board of the vessel while the owner Grechushkin declared himself bankrupt and ‘abandoned the ship’.

Lebanese authorities agreed to let six out of ten sailors to leave the country, others were left stranded on the ship for almost a year.

First pictures emerge of a Russian businessman whose ammonium nitrate cargo detonated in the port of Beirut

First pictures emerge of a Russian businessman whose ammonium nitrate cargo detonated in the port of Beirut
Four of the crew pictured in the port of Beirut and later in the autumn of 2014 as they returned to Ukraine. Pictures: Boris Prokoshev, Assol Foundation

‘The owner of the ship Igor Grechushkin effectively abandoned the ship and the remaining crew.

'He is not providing us with money, he completely deprived us of all means of communication.

'He told us that he went bankrupt and while I don’t believe him, the most important thing is that he gave up on both the people and the cargo’, wrote captain Boris Prokoshev back in June 2014 in a desperate plea to international organisations, diplomats, authorities of Ukraine and the authorities of the port of Beirut to release them.

Igor Grechushkin is reported to be still residing in Cyprus with his wife.

Their 20 years son Artyom studies computer science in Scotland, it is understood.

There were no comments so far from Igor Grechushkin or members of his family.

Igor Grechushkin is reported to be still residing in Cyprus with his wife (pictured below). Picture: social media

First pictures emerge of a Russian businessman whose ammonium nitrate cargo detonated in the port of Beirut

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Dear Ifamuyiwa of the comment defending Grechushkin. This guy was shipping lethal material on a ship for some unknown dirty business. He is probably an arms dealer who was taking this cargo to someone who will use it to kill people somewhere. Maybe his stoppage in Lebanon was not really a coincidence and Beirut was the real destination. If you think it is normal to let some dick head like him roaming around with such cargo, maybe you have to self-check your IQ.

Geo, London

06/08/2020 11:23

I really don't see the point of this article. I feel the article is trying to vilify and hold responsible, this man for the explosion. The cargo was seized by the Lebanese authorities and has been in their care for six years. Whatever the circumstances that led to the seizure, the consignment has been in their care for this period and they are the one's who owe a duty of care to the Lebanese people to ensure that the consignment was stored safely. Showing this man and his family enjoying their life is trying to shift the blame for this tragedy to him. He is not responsible.

Ifamuyiwa Callisto, London

06/08/2020 05:41

Igor Grechushkin is a mass murderer who should be brought to justice. He abandoned his crew and his ship with its lethal cargo.

Karen Williams, Bahrain

06/08/2020 03:43

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