Intense Recovery Efforts Underway for Missing U.S. Soldiers in Lithuania
In an urgent mission spanning international borders, numerous military personnel and rescue teams have converged on Lithuania to recover four U.S. Army soldiers whose vehicle was engulfed by swampy terrain over five days ago.
The soldiers, belonging to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Georgia, vanished on the morning of March 25. They were on a training operation to retrieve another Army vehicle when their own was lost to the swamp near Pabradė, close to the Belarusian border.
The submerged M88 Hercules armored vehicle was discovered a day later, deeply embedded in water and mud. The ongoing recovery efforts have been difficult due to the challenging terrain and the vehicle’s massive 70-ton weight.
Challenging Terrain Complicates Rescue
Attempts to recover the vehicle have been hindered by the swamp’s thick mud and water. The vehicle is believed to be about 13 feet underwater and trapped in more than six feet of clay-like mud, according to an update from the Army.
Brig. Gen. John Lloyd, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division, noted the complexity of the task. “It is highly complex trying to get to the vehicle itself with the terrain out here and where the M88 is sitting in a bog swamp-like area, below the waterline,” he stated.
The conditions have also challenged a specialized U.S. Navy dive team that arrived on site. Initial dives were unsuccessful due to the dense mud, but the team later managed to attach a line to one of the vehicle’s hoist points, marking a significant step forward.
International Collaboration in Recovery Efforts
Efforts to remove water and mud from the site involve a combination of draining, digging, and dredging techniques. However, progress has been slow, exacerbated by issues such as ground water seepage, which prevents the use of heavy equipment.
The operation involves over 200 personnel, including American and Lithuanian soldiers, local authorities, and 55 engineers from the Polish Armed Forces. The families of the missing soldiers have been informed, and updates are being provided regularly.
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor emphasized the solemn commitment to the mission: “This tragic situation weighs heavily on all of us. We want everyone to know, we will not stop until our Soldiers are found.”
Support and Solidarity from Lithuania
On Sunday, a Holy Mass was held in Vilnius in support of the recovery efforts. Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė expressed solidarity on social media, stating, “Shoulder to shoulder, we stand together until we find missing soldiers.”
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
