Five Defense Ministry officials have been detained in connection with the deaths of servicemen during the Khazar Korgans – 2026 exercises on the Caspian Sea. Among the suspects are the first deputy commander-in-chief of Kazakhstan's naval forces and the commander of the Kaisar boat, from which personnel were being disembarked. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

Who was detained

According to the Interior Ministry, the detainees are suspected of negligent attitude to service and violation of navigation rules that led to grave consequences.

"Among the detainees are the first deputy commander-in-chief — chief of staff of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, commanders of two military units, as well as commanders of a marine infantry company and the Kaisar boat. All of them have been recognized as suspects and placed in the temporary detention facility of the Aktau city police department," the Interior Ministry said.

Investigation progress

The military investigative unit of the Interior Ministry is conducting a pre-trial investigation. According to the investigation, on September 24, 43 km from Aktau, during the exercises, servicemen were carried away by a sea current while disembarking from the Kaisar boat in difficult weather conditions.

Investigators are establishing how the decision to conduct the combat training task was made and whether safety requirements were observed. They are also checking whether weather conditions were taken into account, what technical condition the boat was in, and how officials responsible for the exercises and the safety of servicemen acted.

The investigation is under special control of the Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor General's Office.

What happened earlier

Earlier, Kursiv wrote that on September 24, during the performance of combat training tasks by the Naval Forces on the Caspian Sea, due to a sudden storm and gusty wind, 17 servicemen were carried into the open sea. As a result of the incident, 14 people died.

A government commission headed by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev was created to establish the causes of the emergency. The criminal case opened under articles on negligence and violation of navigation rules is under special control of the Prosecutor General's Office.

In connection with the deaths of the soldiers, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared September 25 a day of national mourning in Kazakhstan.

The Prosecutor General's Office said it had questioned 30 servicemen and established the circle of suspects.