American soldiers missing in Lithuanian training tragedy
The fate of American soldiers missing during exercises near Pabradė in Lithuania remains unknown. Services have not yet reached the interior of the vehicle, which ended up at least 5 metres under the mud. If the crew was inside, only a miracle could have saved them, military experts claim.
The M88 is a 62,595-kilogram vehicle designed for evacuating tanks and other heavy equipment from the battlefield during combat. It was developed based on the M60 tank. Four American soldiers, considered missing, may have been inside it for almost two days. During Tuesday's exercises, the military vehicle got stuck in the soft terrain, sinking at least 5 metres into the mud and water. The rescue operation is ongoing, but conditions are exceptionally difficult, and the chances of finding the soldiers alive are minimal.
- If the vehicle was indeed submerged and the soldiers did not get out immediately, their survival is unlikely. Staying in the mud and water within a closed vehicle gives virtually no chance of rescue - commented military expert Major (res.) Darius Antanaitis for the Lithuanian portal Delfi.
- One person uses 6 to 8 litres of oxygen per minute. Considering the space inside is small, and the vehicle is not a submarine, the likelihood of survival is slim. However, in any case, it is worth hoping for miracles - the Lithuanian emphasized. He noted that the lack of immediate contact with the crew reduces the chances of success in the rescue operation.
Accident or service actions?
- The incident looks like a tragic accident on the training ground. It's too early to create sensational theories; there is no evidence for that. Currently, there are many large exercises; the risk of a tragic accident, shooting, or heavy equipment accident simply exists. It is calculated into the soldier's profession - said Dr. Maciej Milczanowski, a former soldier and participant in UN missions from the Institute of Political Science at the University of Rzeszów, to WP.
This was in reference to suggestions that the disappearance of American soldiers occurred at a time of heightened tensions between NATO and Russia. Lithuania, as a key member of the Alliance on the eastern flank, regularly reports possible provocations by Russian services. The training ground is located near the Belarus border.
- The water level at the incident site has now been lowered enough to begin excavation work, - announced Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė on Thursday morning. According to her, there is no guarantee that soldiers are in the vehicle. - Until we find them, we are considering all possible scenarios - she noted.
Disappearance of American soldiers in Lithuania – what is known so far?
As reported by the Lithuanian army in a statement, on Tuesday, the command received a report that four American soldiers along with a tracked vehicle went missing during exercises near Pabradė.
The military vehicle got stuck in the soft terrain and was completely submerged in the water and mud. Four American soldiers were aboard. The search and rescue operation continues, but progress is very slow due to difficult terrain conditions.
Lithuanian MP Dovilė Sakaliene, who visited the site, confirmed that the area resembles extensive wetlands and the vehicle is stuck in the mud, which significantly hinders the rescue operation.
The Lithuanian Ministry of Defence conveyed that the rescue operation is being conducted in cooperation with American military services. So far, contact with the vehicle's crew has not been established. Intense efforts are underway to recover the submerged vehicle, and simultaneously, searches for the missing soldiers around the training ground continue.
