BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25.
Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS)
Kubanychbek Omuraliev expressed condolences in a message over the
deaths of servicemen during military exercises on the Caspian Sea
coast on September 24, according to the OTS.
“I was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of
lives during the military exercises conducted by the Naval Forces
of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Caspian Sea.
On behalf of the Secretariat of the Organization of
Turkic States and on my own behalf, I extend my heartfelt
condolences to the families and loved ones of the fallen
servicemen, as well as to the brotherly people and Government of
the Republic of Kazakhstan.
At this difficult time, our thoughts and sympathies
are with our Kazakh brothers and sisters. We stand in solidarity
with brotherly Kazakhstan and share the sorrow caused by this
tragic incident.
I also wish all injured servicemen a swift and full
recovery,” the message says.
On September 24, 17 Kazakh servicemen were swept into
the open sea due to a sudden and sharp deterioration in weather
conditions while carrying out a combat training mission. Three
servicemen were rescued, while 14 died.
Following the incident, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister
ordered the establishment of a government commission to investigate
the causes of the servicemen’s deaths in the Mangystau region.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared
September 25 a national day of mourning over the tragedy.
So far, five officials from Kazakhstan’s Defense
Ministry system have been detained as part of a pre-trial
investigation into the deaths of the servicemen.
