Kazakhstan declared a day of national mourning after one of the country’s deadliest military accidents in recent years.
Seventeen military personnel were swept into the Caspian Sea during a training exercise by Kazakhstan’s Naval Forces. Fourteen of them have died and three were rescued.
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The incident occurred on 24 September in Kazakhstan's Mangystau region. The servicemen who died were born between 2005 and 2007.
According to the Kazakh Defence Ministry, the soldiers were disembarking from the Kaisar military vessel in water one metre deep when they were swept into the open sea by strong winds and a sudden deterioration in weather conditions.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared 25 September the day of mourning and expressed his condolences to the families of those who died. He also ordered the authorities to establish the circumstances of the incident.
The tragedy has also brought attention to a previous fatal incident during military exercises in the Caspian Sea. In 2015, four servicemen died during military exercises near Aktau after strong winds and waves flooded four armoured personnel carriers.
Investigation underway
A government commission headed by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev has been working at the scene.
The Prosecutor General’s Office says investigators have inspected the scene, questioned more than 30 military personnel and seized documents and video footage.
According to the preliminary findings, the suspected officials failed to take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of personnel as weather conditions deteriorated.