A summary of the search efforts and details surrounding the soldiers' tragic incident during military drills.
**Tragic Discovery: Fourth Missing US Soldier Located in Lithuania**
**Tragic Discovery: Fourth Missing US Soldier Located in Lithuania**
The search for US soldiers lost during a training exercise in Lithuania ends with the discovery of a fourth body.
The body of a fourth American soldier has been recovered in Lithuania, concluding a week-long search that began when the soldiers went missing during military exercises. The group, part of a four-member team, disappeared while operating an M88A2 Hercules armored vehicle near Pabrade. The search operation has already located the bodies of three other soldiers in a peat bog earlier this week alongside the vehicle.
The recovery mission, which involved collaboration among hundreds of rescue personnel from the US Army, Navy, and armed forces from Lithuania, Poland, and Estonia, has been described as heart-wrenching. Major General Christopher Norrie expressed profound sorrow in a statement, highlighting the unbearable grief felt by their families and loved ones.
Lt Gen Charles Costanza referred to the incident as a “tragic accident” and noted the remarkable cooperation displayed by the diverse international recovery teams throughout the challenging operation. The circumstances leading to the soldiers' disappearance are currently under investigation, although the bodies were retrieved near areas impacted by geopolitical tensions with Belarus.
The M88A2 Hercules vehicle, a crucial tool for US military operations designed for battlefield recoveries, required additional support from two other such vehicles and bulldozers for extraction from the swamp. The identities of the soldiers have yet to be released as they were serving in Lithuania under Operation Atlantic Resolve, a mission in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The recovery mission, which involved collaboration among hundreds of rescue personnel from the US Army, Navy, and armed forces from Lithuania, Poland, and Estonia, has been described as heart-wrenching. Major General Christopher Norrie expressed profound sorrow in a statement, highlighting the unbearable grief felt by their families and loved ones.
Lt Gen Charles Costanza referred to the incident as a “tragic accident” and noted the remarkable cooperation displayed by the diverse international recovery teams throughout the challenging operation. The circumstances leading to the soldiers' disappearance are currently under investigation, although the bodies were retrieved near areas impacted by geopolitical tensions with Belarus.
The M88A2 Hercules vehicle, a crucial tool for US military operations designed for battlefield recoveries, required additional support from two other such vehicles and bulldozers for extraction from the swamp. The identities of the soldiers have yet to be released as they were serving in Lithuania under Operation Atlantic Resolve, a mission in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
