In brief
Lithuania's Defense Ministry successfully extracted a submerged U.S. Army vehicle from a bog, nearly a week after the soldiers vanished during training near the Belarus border.
Lithuania's Defense Ministry reported on Monday that a U.S. military vehicle, missing for nearly a week, has been successfully recovered from a bog. The vehicle, an M88 Hercules, was pulled from the mud late Sunday night after the soldiers riding in it went missing during a training operation.The U.S. military stated that the soldiers, part of the First Brigade, Third Infantry Division, had not returned from their mission on Tuesday, prompting a search. The vehicle was found submerged in a muddy bog the following day. The soldiers were reportedly dispatched to help recover another Army vehicle when they exited the road and into the bog, where they appeared to be trapped.To recover the vehicle, U.S. Navy divers entered the bog to attach cables for lifting it out. The extraction was impeded by challenging conditions, including thick mud, prompting rescue crews to excavate and pump out water to facilitate the operation. Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene remarked on the arduous nature of the recovery, describing it as a “strenuous battle against the swamp’s forces.”Initial search efforts involved a coordinated response from both Lithuanian and American military forces, deploying helicopters, dive teams, and hundreds of personnel, highlighting the solidarity and commitment of NATO allies. The incident has drawn criticism from Russia and Belarus, who have been vocal about Lithuania's alignment with NATO and its hosting of U.S. troops. As concerns linger over potential shifts in NATO's strength, this operation emphasizes the ongoing collaboration among ally nations in times of crisis, as noted by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda. Poland also contributed to the recovery efforts by sending military engineers.
