Kazakhstan has declared a day of national mourning after 14 military personnel died when they were swept into the Caspian Sea during a training exercise, in one of the country’s deadliest military accidents in recent years.
The incident occurred on September 24 in the Mangystau region during an exercise involving Kazakhstan’s Naval Forces. Seventeen servicemen were swept into the water, with 14 later confirmed dead and three rescued.
The servicemen who died were born between 2005 and 2007, according to information released following the accident.
Kazakhstan’s Defence Ministry said the personnel were disembarking from the Kaisar military vessel in water about one metre deep when strong winds and a sudden deterioration in weather conditions swept them toward the open sea.
The accident prompted an immediate search and rescue operation involving military and emergency services. Three personnel were rescued, while efforts continued to recover those who had died.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared September 25 a national day of mourning and expressed condolences to the families and relatives of the servicemen.
Tokayev also ordered authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident and establish how the training exercise was conducted as weather conditions worsened.
The tragedy has drawn comparisons with another fatal military accident in Kazakhstan’s section of the Caspian Sea. In 2015, four servicemen died during exercises near Aktau after strong winds and high waves flooded four armoured personnel carriers.
The latest incident has prompted scrutiny of safety procedures during military exercises conducted in difficult weather conditions.
Investigation underway
A government commission led by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev has been working at the scene as authorities investigate the circumstances of the deaths.
Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General’s Office said investigators had inspected the location of the incident, questioned more than 30 military personnel and seized documents and video recordings related to the exercise.
Preliminary findings indicate that officials may have failed to take necessary measures to protect personnel after weather conditions began to deteriorate.
Authorities have not yet released a final account of responsibility, and the investigation is continuing.
The inquiry is expected to examine decisions made by military personnel before and during the exercise, including whether weather warnings were properly assessed and whether appropriate safety measures were implemented.
The deaths have prompted public mourning across Kazakhstan, with the national day of mourning allowing the country to pay tribute to the servicemen and their families.
Further findings from the government commission and the Prosecutor General’s Office are expected to clarify the sequence of events and determine whether officials will face legal consequences.
