A massive recovery effort in Lithuania has come to a close with the discovery of the last missing US soldier. The soldier was part of a team of four who vanished during a military training exercise last week.
Their armored vehicle, an M88A2 Hercules, was found submerged in a muddy bog near the town of Pabradė. The area is close to the border with Belarus.
The four soldiers went missing on the morning of March 25. They were on a mission to repair and tow a vehicle that had broken down. The M88A2 Hercules is designed to recover damaged tanks and other vehicles from the battlefield.
A joint team of US Army and Navy personnel, along with Lithuanian and Polish troops, searched for the missing men. Over the weekend, they located the armored vehicle in the bog. On Monday, they found the bodies of three of the missing soldiers inside the bog.
The recovery operation was challenging. It involved hundreds of personnel, two more M88A2 Hercules vehicles, tractors, and heavy equipment. The US military is now investigating what happened to the soldiers.
The US soldiers were in Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. This is a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The soldiers were based at Fort Stewart in Georgia.
Investigation Underway
The US military has not released details about the circumstances surrounding the deaths. They also have not said where the body of the fourth soldier was found.
The incident is a reminder of the risks faced by military personnel during training exercises. The investigation will aim to determine what went wrong and how similar incidents can be prevented in the future.
US Military Presence in Lithuania
The US has a significant military presence in Lithuania as part of its efforts to support Eastern European allies. The US soldiers were taking part in a training exercise when the incident occurred.
The Lithuanian government has praised the joint efforts of the US, Lithuanian, and Polish troops in recovering the missing soldiers. The incident has highlighted the cooperation between the countries in military matters.
The US military will continue to investigate the incident and provide support to the families of the deceased soldiers.