The search for four missing US soldiers on a military training area in Lithuania continues. Their tons -heavy vehicle is even meter -deep in a swampy water. It is unclear whether the four missing people are in it.
In Lithuania, hundreds of soldiers and rescue workers continue to look for four US soldiers who have disappeared on the NATO east flank during a military exercise. With an excavator and other heavy equipment, according to the US Army, they try to rescue the soldiers that are sunk in a swampy water on the practice area in Pabrade. It is still unclear whether the four missing people are in it.
“Up to the last minute we will not give up hope and do everything to find the missing soldiers,” Defense Minister Dovile wrote on the platform X. “We will not rest until they are found. Everyone.”
Swampy area was drained
According to operations manager Ausrius Buikus, it cannot be predicted how long the search and rescue work could take. The natural conditions in the practice area are extremely difficult. The main objective is currently to remove the mud so that divers can attach hooks to the tonal vehicle, said the Lithuanian colonel lieutenant according to a radio report.
The four US soldiers have been missing since Tuesday. After an exercise, in which, according to US information, they carried out a planned tactical training, they were no longer found. The Lithuanian military and the police then started a joint search with the US military. This finally led to the location of her M88 Hercules Mountain Pancer, which weighs several tons of tons in a water on the practice area. Pabrade is not far from the border with Belarus.
In order to make it easier to use, the helpers have drained the swampy area around the vehicle located, according to the US armed forces. Gravel was also heaped up and an access road was built so that it can get to the spot with heavy equipment. The work was made more difficult by a gas line that leads through the water.
The swampy area on the military training area makes the rescue work difficult.
Poland also wants to help with search
“We use all available US and Lithuanian forces to coordinate these efforts and provide the necessary resources,” said a communication from the US Army European Command Center in Wiesbaden.
Poland will also take part in the search: Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz announced on X that several dozen Polish soldiers with equipment were already on their way to Lithuania.
