The flags at the Secretariat of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) have been lowered to half-mast in solidarity with Kazakhstan following the deaths of servicemen during military exercises in the Caspian Sea.

Axar.az reports that September 25 has been declared a Day of National Mourning in Kazakhstan following the incident involving the country’s Naval Forces.

"As 25 September has been declared a Day of National Mourning in Kazakhstan, the flags at the Secretariat of the Organization of Turkic States have been lowered to half-mast in solidarity with the brotherly people of Kazakhstan and in memory of the servicemen who tragically lost their lives yesterday during military exercises conducted by the Naval Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Caspian Sea.

On this day of mourning, we deeply share the sorrow of the brotherly people of Kazakhstan, especially the families and loved ones of the servicemen who lost their lives," the statement reads.

It was reported that the previous day, 14 servicemen died after being swept away by strong currents during exercises in the Caspian Sea amid a sharp deterioration in weather conditions in Kazakhstan.