A complex multinational recovery operation is underway in Lithuania to locate four U.S. soldiers who went missing during a training exercise after their armored vehicle was found submerged in treacherous conditions.
The M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicle, weighing 70 tons, was discovered on March 26 approximately 15 feet underwater in a boggy area connected to a lake near Pabrade, Lithuania. The vehicle is buried under layers of clay-like mud and silt, complicating rescue efforts.
To aid in the challenging recovery mission, specialized U.S. Navy divers from Task Force 68 have arrived from Rota, Spain. The dive team plans to deploy advanced equipment including the Defender submersible remotely operated vehicle and Artemis Handheld Sonar to assess underwater conditions before attempting to locate lift points on the submerged vehicle.
A contingent of 55 Polish engineers has also joined the operation, bringing substantial resources including 13 vehicles, engineering workshops, fuel supplies, and three WZT-3 tracked recovery vehicles.
The immediate recovery plan involves removing water and mud from the site while reinforcing the surrounding ground to support heavy equipment needed for the operation. The specialized dive teams will then begin underwater operations in the challenging environment.
"We are going to use every resource available from all our countries to find our missing soldiers," said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, 1st Armored Division commanding general. "We will not rest until our Soldiers are found."
The incident occurred during training exercises near Lithuania's eastern border with Belarus. U.S. military officials continue coordinating the multinational recovery effort while emphasizing their commitment to locating the missing service members despite the difficult conditions ahead.