Kazakh president dismisses defence minister after Caspian drill deaths

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has removed Dauren Kosanov from his position as Defence Minister in the wake of a deadly incident during military drills in the Caspian Sea, the president's office announced. Kosanov was relieved of his duties as the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, according to the statement.

On Thursday, the Kazakh defence ministry reported that 17 naval personnel had been washed out to sea during the exercises in the Mangystau region on the Caspian coast due to a sudden change in weather and strong winds. Unfortunately, 14 of them lost their lives, while three were rescued.

A criminal investigation has been launched into the unfortunate deaths of the sailors, with charges of "negligent performance of duty resulting in grave consequences" and "violation of navigation rules". Additionally, a government commission was established to delve into the causes and circumstances surrounding the tragic event.

Earlier, the Kazakh interior ministry announced the arrest of five defence ministry officials as part of the investigation. In response to the tragedy, President Tokayev ordered the formation of a commission to conduct a thorough audit of the defence ministry and instructed them to submit preliminary findings within a week.