Search operations persisted into Thursday for four absent U.S. servicemen close to the Belarus frontier in Lithuania following the discovery of their vehicle underwater one day prior.
The M88 Hercules armored vehicle was found submerged over five meters deep. Following this discovery, sufficient water was pumped out to allow for excavation work, as stated by Lithuania’s Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė.
She stated that “every scenario remains plausible” concerning the soldiers’ status, since it had yet to be verified if they were still within the vehicle.
The Lithuanian national radio and television station, LRT, reported that on Tuesday afternoon, four U.S. servicemen along with their vehicle went missing during a training exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training grounds in Pabradė, a town situated less than ten kilometers away from the Belarus border.
As stated by Šakalienė, the rescue operations persisted through the night, involving water removal and strengthening of the terrain to allow heavy machinery to reach the location safely without compromising a nearby gas pipeline.
Lithuanian authorities characterize the search and rescue mission as extremely intricate, involving “hundreds of individuals” from different backgrounds such as Lithuanian and U.S. forces, multiple governmental organizations, and private enterprises.
The US Ambassador to Lithuania, Kara McDonald, stated, “We will continue our efforts until our service members are located,” and expressed gratitude to the Lithuanian government and officials for their assistance in the search operation.
“Lithuania serves as an exemplary ally, and we are immensely thankful for their assistance,” she stated.
Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, which gained their independence from the Soviet Union in 1990 and subsequently became part of NATO, frequently experience strained relationships with Russia and Belarus.
Tensions escalated even more after Russia initiated its extensive military operation against Ukraine in 2022. During this time, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda emerged as one of the strongest voices among European leaders backing Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression.