The search operations for the soldiers have culminated in tragic news, highlighting the risks faced by military personnel during training exercises.
Tragic Discovery: Fourth Missing US Soldier Found in Lithuania
Tragic Discovery: Fourth Missing US Soldier Found in Lithuania
A fourth US soldier missing in Lithuania has been recovered a week after an incident during military drills involving a large vehicle.
The body of the fourth missing US soldier has been located near the city of Pabrade, Lithuania, just over a week after the soldier and three comrades vanished while conducting military drills in an M88A2 Hercules armoured vehicle. Initial searches, which included the use of rescue dogs from the Estonian Defence Force, led to the recovery of the vehicle and the other three soldiers' bodies from a peat bog earlier this week.
The ongoing recovery efforts have drawn in hundreds of personnel from various branches of the military, including the US Army and Navy, as well as armed forces from Lithuania, Poland, and Estonia. Major General Christopher Norrie of US Army Europe and Africa expressed his sorrow in a statement, emphasizing the profound loss as "the world is darker without them.”
Lieutenant General Charles Costanza further characterized the incident as a "tragic accident," commending the collaborative efforts of recovery teams from multiple nations. While the details surrounding the exact circumstances of the incident are still under investigation by the US Army, the search and recovery had taken place in a challenging environment close to the Belarus border.
The M88A2 Hercules is a substantial military vehicle employed by the US Armed Forces for recovering damaged tanks and equipment. The recovery of the submerged vehicle required extensive resources, necessitating the use of two additional Hercules units and bulldozers to extract it from the swamp.
The identities of the deceased soldiers have not yet been released, as they were on deployment in Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a mission established in response to Russian aggression towards Ukraine.
The ongoing recovery efforts have drawn in hundreds of personnel from various branches of the military, including the US Army and Navy, as well as armed forces from Lithuania, Poland, and Estonia. Major General Christopher Norrie of US Army Europe and Africa expressed his sorrow in a statement, emphasizing the profound loss as "the world is darker without them.”
Lieutenant General Charles Costanza further characterized the incident as a "tragic accident," commending the collaborative efforts of recovery teams from multiple nations. While the details surrounding the exact circumstances of the incident are still under investigation by the US Army, the search and recovery had taken place in a challenging environment close to the Belarus border.
The M88A2 Hercules is a substantial military vehicle employed by the US Armed Forces for recovering damaged tanks and equipment. The recovery of the submerged vehicle required extensive resources, necessitating the use of two additional Hercules units and bulldozers to extract it from the swamp.
The identities of the deceased soldiers have not yet been released, as they were on deployment in Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a mission established in response to Russian aggression towards Ukraine.
