Specialized Teams Intensify Search for Missing U.S. Soldiers in Lithuania

U.S. Navy divers and Polish engineers join multinational recovery efforts to locate four soldiers and their submerged armored vehicle near the Belarus border.

• Four U.S. soldiers remain missing after their M88 Hercules armored vehicle became submerged in a peat bog during a NATO training exercise near Pabrade, Lithuania.
• Specialized U.S. Navy divers from Commander Task Force 68 and over 50 Polish engineers have joined the effort, bringing advanced equipment such as remotely operated vehicles and sonar devices.
• The submerged vehicle, located approximately 15-16 feet underwater, is surrounded by clay-like mud and silt, complicating recovery operations.
• Recovery teams are focused on removing water and mud, stabilizing the terrain for heavy equipment, and identifying lift points on the vehicle for extraction.
• The operation, taking place six miles from the Belarus border, highlights NATO's collaborative response and the challenges of military training in complex environments.

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