US soldiers are still missing in a Lithuania swamp after their armored vehicle sank last week. Three American soldiers have been declared deceased after crews retrieved the M88 Hercules recovery vehicle they were traveling in on Monday.
The vehicle was recovered from a peat bog after a six-day effort involving hundreds of service members and resources from Lithuania, the US Army, Navy, and Polish forces. The soldiers, part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, went missing on March 25 while conducting a mission to repair and tow an immobilized tactical vehicle.
US Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll said “We will not rest until the fourth and final Soldier is found and brought home.” The cause of the accident remains unclear.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda expressed deep sadness and sorrow over the loss of three US soldiers, calling on all Americans to offer condolences. U.S. Navy divers helped in the recovery operation, maneuvering through thick mud and sediment to access two hoist points.
The missing fourth soldier was last seen on March 31, near Pabradď, Lithuania. The US Army said “Lithuanian armed forces provided military helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, and search and rescue personnel immediately to join the effort.”
Efforts to find the final soldier continue as Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė announced that “The armored vehicle was pulled ashore at 4:40 a.m., the towing operation is complete.”
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/us/army-confirms-3-4-missing-soldiers-lithuania-dead