Corfu Channel case
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The Corfu Channel case was the first public international law case heard before the International Court of Justice between 1947 and 1949, concerning state responsibility for damages at sea, as well as
HMS Volage lost her bow as a result of striking a mine in the Corfu Channel while towing HMS Saumarez, which had also struck a mine not long before.
Sir Hartley Shawcross addressing the Court
Judge Guerrero speaking from the bench, flanked by two other judges
The British legal team
Corfu Channel incident
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The Corfu Channel incident consists of three separate events involving Royal Navy ships in the Channel of Corfu which took place in 1946, and it is considered an early episode of the Cold War. During
Corfu Channel case
…well as the doctrine of innocent passage. A contentious case, it was the first of any type heard by the ICJ after its establishment in 1945. Following a series of encounters from May to November 1946 in the Corfu Channel between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of Albania—one of which resulted in damage to two Royal Navy ships and…
HMS Orion was one of the ships fired on in the first incident
Light cruiser HMS Leander was present during the second incident
Light cruiser HMS Mauritius was present during the second incident
Saumarez under tow by Volage after being mined, October 1946