At least 24 North Korean sailors died in an unexplained naval accident that took place in mid October, DPRK state revealed on Saturday.

The crew members, which belonged to a submarine chaser in Korean People’s Army Unit 790, appear to have died in an accident off North Korea’s East Coast on or around October 13, 2013, photographs of their gravestones published by the Korea Central News Agency have shown.

Their deaths occurred just one day after annual naval drills – involving U.S., South Korea and Japan forces – wrapped up off the southern coastline of the peninsula.

While North Korean