Missing US soldiers' armored vehicle pulled out of swamp in Lithuania
Photo: U.S. soldiers go missing during a training exercise near Belarus (Getty Images)
An armored vehicle with four missing US servicemen was found in Lithuania. Police and US investigators are continuing the investigation, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry says.
During military exercises in Lithuania, four American soldiers disappeared at the Pabradė training ground, located in the Švenčionys district municipality near the border with Belarus.
The exercises were part of the US rotational forces that train units stationed in Lithuania.
The search operation lasted 6 days, and an armored vehicle stuck in the mud was recovered at the scene.
The recovery of the vehicle was a key moment in the operation, and Lithuanian military police, together with US investigators, are now working at the training ground to determine the circumstances of the incident.
The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense did not specify whether there were any military personnel inside. An investigation has now been launched to clarify the details. Investigators from both countries continue to collect information.
Training in Pabradė
The Lithuanian training ground was the site of US military exercises to train rotational force units stationed there. 2 battalions of the 3rd US Infantry Division will remain there for 9 months. Joint exercises with Lithuania and other NATO allies are planned.
It is assumed that the missing soldiers were on an M88 Hercules armored repair and recovery vehicle. Based on the Abrams tank, they are very powerful and heavy, weighing up to 63 tons, which can be especially dangerous in the swampy terrain in Pabradė.
