Fourteen soldiers were killed after being swept away by waves due to worsening weather while conducting naval training off the coast of the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan.

According to Reuters and dpa on the 25th (local time), 17 Kazakh soldiers were swept away by waves the previous day near Mangystau Region along the Caspian Sea coast in western Kazakhstan.

Of the soldiers, 14 died and the remaining 3 were rescued.

One of the three rescued soldiers has been transported to a hospital.

The Kazakh government explained that the previous day's accident was caused by sudden severe weather and strong winds.

At the time, the soldiers were undergoing combat training, and the accident reportedly occurred as they were getting off a patrol boat.

The Kazakh Ministry of Defense dispatched an investigative team to the scene to probe the circumstances of the accident and direct rescue operations.

The Kazakh presidential office stated, "President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has instructed a government commission to take all necessary measures to clarify the circumstances of the accident."

In response, the Ministry of Interior announced that just one day after the accident, it arrested five senior officers, including the 1st Naval Commander, on charges of negligence and violation of navigation regulations.

Kazakh investigative authorities are questioning them to determine whether safety regulations were properly followed and if training was conducted with weather conditions in mind.

President Tokayev also declared the day a national day of mourning.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also expressed his condolences to President Tokayev.

Kazakhstan operates a small navy consisting of 3,000 personnel in the Caspian Sea region, utilizing vessels and patrol boats to protect maritime borders and offshore energy infrastructure.

(Photo: Capture from the website of Kazakhstan's state news agency Kazinform, provided by the Kazakh Ministry of Defense, Yonhap News)