ASTANA, October 5. /TASS/. Police officers have detained five people in connection with the deaths of 14 servicemen during drills in the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan, with the country’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev demanding that all those responsible be held accountable and placing the matter under his personal control, the presidential press service said following a meeting chaired by the Kazakh leader.

"The head of state stressed that the first personnel decisions have been made and all officials responsible for the deaths of the servicemen must be held liable under the law. This matter is under the president’s personal control. <…> A pre-trial investigation into criminal negligence committed by the command staff is ongoing. Five officials have so far been detained," the statement reads.

On September 24, during naval drills on the Caspian Sea coast in Kazakhstan, 17 servicemen were swept out to sea. As many as 14 servicemen died, while three others were rescued. Following the incident, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered a comprehensive audit of the Defense Ministry, replaced the defense minister and the chief of staff and dismissed the commander-in-chief of the Naval Forces. A criminal case has been opened over the incident, with the Interior Ministry identifying the first deputy commander-in-chief of the Naval Forces and a number of defense officials as suspects.