Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared September 25 a national day of mourning following the deaths of military personnel in the Mangystau region.
On September 24, strong winds and a sudden deterioration in weather conditions swept away 19 military personnel during Naval exercises on the Caspian Sea coast. Initially, it was reported that nine soldiers had died and three had been rescued; subsequent information indicated the death toll had risen to 12.
A criminal case has been opened regarding the incident, and an investigation has been launched into officials for negligence concerning the safety of the military personnel and the organization of rescue operations.
Tokayev expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers and ordered a full investigation into the incident. Due to the tragedy, planned celebratory events in the city of Aktau were also cancelled.
The state will provide necessary social and financial assistance to the families of the deceased soldiers. Additionally, entrepreneurs have announced plans to provide supplementary financial support to the families. It is expected that 25 million tenge will be allocated to each family, with a total of up to 815 million tenge being provided.
