A harrowing search operation in Lithuania has ended in tragedy. Three US soldiers who went missing during a military training exercise have been found dead in a mud pit. Their bodies were discovered near the town of Pabradė, close to the Belarusian border.
The soldiers were part of a US military unit deployed to Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They were conducting a training exercise on March 25 when they disappeared. The army was using an M88A2 Hercules, a large armored recovery vehicle designed to retrieve damaged tanks or other vehicles from the battlefield.
The incident occurred while the soldiers were on a mission to repair and tow a disabled vehicle. Their armored vehicle was later found submerged in a nearby bog on March 26. The recovery operation was extremely challenging, with US Navy divers having to navigate through zero-visibility conditions to attach cables to the submerged vehicle.
The recovery effort was aided by another M88A2 Hercules, but it began to slide into the bog as well. Multiple tractors and heavy machinery, including drilling equipment and water pumps, were brought in to assist. Hundreds of tons of soil had to be excavated during the operation.
The US military, along with Lithuanian authorities, is now investigating the cause of the accident. The soldiers were based at Fort Stewart in Georgia, USA, as part of the Operation Atlantic Resolve deployment.
The incident serves as a reminder of the risks and challenges faced by military personnel during training exercises and operations. The investigation into the accident is ongoing, with the US military and Lithuanian authorities working together to determine the circumstances surrounding the soldiers’ deaths.
Source: BBC