Twelve Kazakh soldiers die after storm hits Caspian Sea naval exercises
At least 12 Kazakh service personnel died after severe weather swept military units into the Caspian Sea during drills off the Mangystau region, prompting an intergovernmental investigation and a national day of mourning.
Sudden storm hits naval drills
On 24 September 2026, severe weather struck military personnel conducting naval exercises in the Caspian Sea off the coast of western Kazakhstan. Rapidly deteriorating weather and strong wind gusts swept soldiers into the water during a scheduled combat training mission in the Mangystau region. The manoeuvres were part of the "Caspian Defense-2026" drills, which the Kazakh Defence Ministry had announced on 22 September. The exercises involved more than 500 service members from the navy, coast guard, and air force, along with warships and coastal units operating in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea, an inland body of water bordered by Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkmenistan.
Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev detailed the immediate cause of the incident in a statement released on Thursday.
during the execution of a combat training mission in connection with a sharp deterioration in meteorological conditions and increasing wind
Casualty figures and maritime search
Official casualty reports shifted as rescue teams worked through changing conditions on Thursday. Initial announcements from the Defence Ministry indicated that 19 soldiers had fallen into the water, with nine confirmed dead, three rescued, and seven unaccounted for. By Thursday evening, updated statements from Deputy Prime Minister Bozumbayev and regional authorities revised the count, establishing that 17 personnel had been swept out to sea.
- Kazakh Defence Ministry announces start of Caspian Defense-2026 drills
- Sudden storm and high winds sweep personnel into the Caspian Sea
- Initial reports confirm 9 dead, 3 rescued, and 7 missing
- Death toll updated to 12 as names of 11 conscripts and one officer are released
- National day of mourning observed across Kazakhstan
Emergency teams confirmed 12 dead, three personnel rescued alive, and two soldiers remaining missing by Thursday night. One of the rescued soldiers was transported to a hospital for treatment. On Thursday evening, the Defence Ministry released a roster identifying the 12 fatalities, which comprised 11 conscript sailors and one senior lieutenant. Video footage published by regional outlet Lada.kz showed military vessels operating in rough waters while high winds persisted near the coast throughout the afternoon. Search operations continued across the area with coordinated assets from the Navy, Air Force, and the Ministry for Emergency Situations.
- Confirmed dead
- 12 people
- Rescued
- 3 people
- Missing
- 2 people
National mourning and criminal investigation
Following the confirmation of deaths, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared 25 September 2026 a day of national mourning. The president expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and ordered state authorities to deliver financial and welfare support to the affected relatives. Tokayev also directed an intergovernmental commission to investigate the causes of the maritime accident.
The Prosecutor General's Office announced that law enforcement agencies opened criminal proceedings regarding the deaths during exercises connected to the Aktau garrison, the administrative centre of the Mangystau region. Deputy Prime Minister Bozumbayev was appointed to lead the special investigative commission. Defence Minister Lieutenant General Dauren Kosanov was dispatched to Aktau to supervise search and rescue operations alongside representatives from the Interior Ministry, the Ministry for Emergency Situations, and the prosecutor's office.
