American soldiers missing in Lithuania: Swamp search intensifies
In Lithuania, searches are underway for four American soldiers who went missing during training exercises. Authorities have located the missing vehicle and are trying to reach it. "There are swamps there. It's a very difficult area," we heard at the Pabradė Municipality Office.
What do you need to know?
- Where and when did the soldiers go missing? Four American soldiers went missing Tuesday afternoon at the Pabradė training ground, near the border with Belarus.
- What actions are being taken? Searches are being conducted by the US Army and Lithuanian armed forces, with the participation of Air Force helicopters and the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service.
- Dramatic search efforts. Wirtualna Polska received information about the searches from the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense.
The search for the four missing American soldiers is ongoing at the Pabradė training ground. On Thursday morning, intensive efforts were still underway to retrieve the vehicle that sank in the swamp. As reported by the Lithuanian armed forces, a special dredger has been dispatched to the location to assist with the efforts.
"While waiting for the dredger to arrive, intense excavation work is ongoing and attempts are being made to reach the sunken equipment," the Lithuanian military reported.
Present at the scene are, among others, the Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė, Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, and US Ambassador to Lithuania Kara C. McDonald.
The search is being conducted in a very challenging and demanding area. The training ground in Pabradė is deep in the forest, surrounded by lakes and swamps. "There are swamps and a gas pipeline. It's a very difficult area and it will be hard to retrieve anything from there," we heard at the Pabradė Municipality Office.
"The area is closed to ordinary people. There is one road leading to the training ground, but we do not have access to it. We know that Americans, Lithuanians, and Germans are stationed at the training ground," said the residents of Pabradė.
it’s a race against time
The operation is still ongoing at the scene. "The head of state is receiving all information. Currently, the main focus is on the search and rescue of the missing soldiers. It has been ongoing for two days and is quite a complicated operation, so the president thanks those involved. He also supports the families and comrades of the missing, offering hope that there may be good results in this area," announced A. Varnelis, advisor to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.
"I do not want to speculate about the conclusion of the operation, because at any moment, we are facing a challenge—it’s flowing water, it’s silt. I cannot answer this question precisely," said Lieutenant Aušrius Buikus, the commander of the operation on site. The military official noted that the vehicle could be located at a depth of 3 to 5 metres.
"We are working at full capacity around the clock to reach the vehicle as quickly as possible. The gas pipeline is depressurized, the ground is stabilised, water is constantly being drained, and a device for cleaning channels to remove silt is on the way. Searches are ongoing," adds Minister Šakalienė.
