12 sailors die in Kazakh naval drills accident

At least 12 Kazakh military personnel died on Thursday after being swept out to sea during naval drills on the Caspian coast, in an accident was caused by "a sudden deterioration in weather conditions and intensifying winds", authorities in the Central Asian country said.

The administration of Kazakhstan's western Mangystau region said on Telegram that 17 people were swept out to sea during a combat training exercise. "Twelve perished, and three were rescued. The search for the remaining two servicemen is ongoing," it added.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev "instructed a government commission to take all necessary measures to establish the circumstances of the incident".