The search for a teenager who went missing while swimming in the Caspian Sea in the Mangystau region has ended. His body was found 51 kilometers from Aktau, near the shore, according to Orda.kz.
According to the Emergency Situations Ministry, the teenager's body was found in the water approximately 10 meters from the shoreline. It was handed over to police officers.
The search and rescue operation lasted several days. It involved 253 people, including rescuers from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, National Guard troops, officers from the Border Service of the National Security Committee, the Navy, police, specialists from YKK Kazakhstan LLP, volunteers, and local residents.
"About 100 pieces of equipment, watercraft, drones, and two Kazaviaspas helicopters were deployed. The search was complicated by the large area of the water basin, the uneven seabed, poor underwater visibility, strong currents, and wind. Due to shifting currents, rescuers had to repeatedly check the same areas from both water and air," the Ministry of Emergency Situations said.
According to witnesses, two teenagers were paddleboarding on an undeveloped stretch of coast. Later, they removed their life jackets and decided to swim. One of them was saved, while the other disappeared underwater.
Earlier, it was reported that two students drowned in Karaganda.