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US Navy Divers Secure Lines to Submerged Armored Vehicle in Lithuania
In Lithuania, US Navy divers have successfully attached two cables to designated lifting points on a sunken M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle. The vehicle was carrying four US Army soldiers who went missing early Tuesday during a training exercise near Pabradė.
Soldiers Disappeared During Maintenance Mission
The soldiers, stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia, were aboard the M88 Hercules as part of a routine maintenance operation. Their mission was to retrieve another US Army vehicle within the training area when the incident occurred and they were reported missing.
Recovery Operation Underway in Challenging Terrain
Following the attachment of the second cable to the Hercules on Sunday, Army officials stated that the vehicle can now be stabilized and prevented from sinking deeper into the bog.
“Engineers anticipate commencing winching procedures early this morning,” US Army Europe and Africa announced via a post on X.
“The undertaking is expected to be lengthy and complex, as the ground around the peat bog remains difficult. However, rescue personnel are determined to proceed undeterred.”
Earlier in the day, divers had secured the initial cable to a lifting point on the Hercules. Authorities indicated that winching efforts are anticipated to take longer than initially projected with both lines connected due to the substantial pressure and suction from the dense mud.
US Army Europe and Africa confirmed in a press statement that the Hercules continued to submerge into the bog.
The armored vehicle is estimated to be approximately four meters beneath the water’s surface and embedded in roughly two meters of mud.
To aid in excavation and water removal operations, a Rapidly Available Interface for Trans-loading (RAIL) system was expected to arrive at the site later in the day.
The RAIL system is typically employed to facilitate loading and unloading in railroad networks across challenging landscapes. Engineers believe it can contribute to stabilizing the ground surrounding the recovery area.
Difficult Conditions Hamper Vehicle Recovery
Brig. Gen. John Lloyd, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division, explained the difficulties: “Attempting to reach the vehicle is incredibly complex due to the terrain and the M88’s position within a bog-like swampy area, below the waterline. We are contending not only with the terrain and a significant amount of mud covering the vehicle, but also the sheer weight of 70 tons we are attempting to extract from a swamp or bog.”
Lithuanian Defense Minister Affirms Support for Search
Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė, in a Thursday afternoon interview, conveyed that Lithuania has “given everything” since learning of the incident. She highlighted the extensive resources from both its armed forces and internal affairs ministry institutions dedicated to locating the soldiers.
“From helicopters equipped with thermal imaging to ground forces, our intensive efforts are ongoing,” Šakalienė stated.
Šakalienė mentioned that it remains uncertain whether the soldiers were able to evacuate the vehicle before it sank. However, she reiterated that as of Thursday afternoon, there was “no evidence” confirming the fatalities of the missing personnel.
The area surrounding the location is characterized by forests, swamps, and bogs, resembling environments found in Alaska. Similar weather conditions present additional challenges for Army personnel training in the area.
“Perhaps they are lost, disoriented, injured, or suffering from hypothermia, and we have not located them yet,” Šakalienė suggested. “We are maintaining hope until the very last moment. These are resilient soldiers, strong, adult men. Various scenarios remain possible.”
She emphasized that Lithuania, a NATO ally, regards American soldiers as their own and will not abandon the search.
Despite persistent efforts, the soldiers have not yet been found.
Families Kept Informed as Search Continues
The U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division is providing regular updates to the families of the missing soldiers regarding the ongoing search.
“This heartbreaking situation deeply affects us all, and we are holding the families, friends, and comrades of our soldiers and the recovery team in our thoughts and prayers,” wrote US Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commanding general of 1st Armored Division, in a recent statement. “We want to assure everyone that we will persevere until our soldiers are located.”
President Donald Trump informed reporters on Wednesday that he had not received a briefing about the missing soldiers.
The training site is situated less than 6 miles from Belarus, a Russian ally since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.
Lithuania Holds Prayer Service for Missing Soldiers
Lithuania, a predominantly Catholic nation, organized a joint prayer service on Sunday at its primary church, the capital cathedral. They also hosted a mass specifically for the missing soldiers.