A U.S. armored vehicle that went missing in Lithuania has been successfully recovered from a swamp after an extensive six-day search. However, there is still no information on the fate of the four American servicemen who were inside the vehicle at the time of its disappearance, Lithuanian officials reported on Monday.
Lithuania’s Defense Minister, Dovilė Šakalienė, confirmed the recovery operation in a Facebook post early Monday morning. “The armored vehicle was pulled ashore at 4:40 a.m., the towing operation is complete. Lithuanian Military Police and U.S. investigators continue their work,” she stated. Despite the vehicle’s retrieval, officials have not yet provided any updates regarding the soldiers’ whereabouts or condition.
Troops Went Missing During Military Exercise
The disappeared soldiers were among a U.S. military training exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, a strategic military base close to the Belarus border. The U.S. Army reported that the soldiers went missing early Tuesday morning while taking part in a tactical training exercise.
The soldiers were from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, a highly combat-capable unit with experience in international military operations. Lithuanian officials have emphasized patience and sensitivity as the investigation continues, calling on the public to remain calm. “Until the investigators have more information, we must remain calm and composed, and bear in mind the sensitivity of the case and the families’ concerns,” Šakalienė said in a statement.
Massive Search and Recovery Efforts Underway
The disappearance of the vehicle prompted a mass search operation by hundreds of American and Lithuanian military personnel, as well as local rescue teams. The search efforts were concentrated on the dense woods and marshes around Pabradė, some 10 kilometers (6 miles) away from the Belarusian border.
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A vehicle described as an M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle was discovered on Wednesday, submerged in 4.5 meters (15 feet) of water. This led to a massive recovery effort, which was severely hampered by the rough terrain. “Water, thick mud, and soft ground in the area surrounding the site have made recovery more difficult and have necessitated the use of specialized equipment to drain water from the site and to stabilize the ground” before the 70-ton vehicle could be towed onshore, the U.S. Army said.
Although the car has since been recovered, the case of the missing soldiers is still not solved. Lithuanian and American authorities are still investigating, and the first official word on the fate of the soldiers will be from the U.S. military.
The incident has created anxiety regarding the safety of military operations in difficult terrain, and there will probably be more questions asked to identify what caused the servicemen to disappear. In the meantime, authorities continue to emphasize patience and sensitivity toward the families of the missing servicemen.
