The U.S. Army says resumption of four missing soldiers in Lithuania “will be a long and difficult operation”

Pabrade, Lithuania – Lithuanian president said on Friday that he hopes for a “miracle” when the site of the rescue operation is restored Four missing U.S. Army soldiers from their submerged vehicles. The four soldiers were assigned to the Third Infantry Division of the Army’s Third Infantry Division, disappeared early Tuesday morning, and during a maintenance mission, another U.S. Army vehicle was received in the Pabrade training area near the Lithuanian-Belarus border, missing during a scheduled training, the Army said.

On Friday, search and rescue teams used heavy military equipment and excavators to remove sludge from the water bodies found in the vehicle on Wednesday.

“I still hope there is a miracle,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told reporters in Pabrade. “While many skeptics may say there is no hope in this situation, I want to believe it.”

The U.S. Army said in a statement issued Friday that the clumsy 70-ton M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle was missing. American soldiers were operating “found that it was flooded about 15 feet under water and mud in a swamp, connected to nearby lakes.

“The area around the site is incredibly wet and swampy and does not support the weight of the equipment,” the U.S. Army’s Public Affairs Office for Europe and Africa said in a statement Friday. “Draining out of the area has been slow and difficult due to groundwater seepage.”

“It will be a long and difficult recovery operation, but we are absolutely committed to bringing soldiers home,” said Curtis Taylor, commander-in-chief of the 1st Armored Division.

The main goal on Friday was to remove mud from flooded vehicles and identify attachment points that might be extracted, said Raimundas Vaiksnoras, chief of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

“We are working hard and will continue to work until we can provide clear and honest answers to those who need to know the most, family members,” Vaiksnoras said on Facebook Friday.

Lithuania is a member of NATO and the EU, and has received more than 1,000 US troops on the basis of rotation.

“Large capacity slurry pumps, cranes, over 30 tons of gravel and subject matter experts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are just some of the assets that arrive on site and can assist in access to the M88,” the U.S. Army’s European Command said in its statement.

The Polish armed forces also volunteered to join a group of military engineers, which was heading towards the scene. ”

“We are very grateful to the President of Lithuania for his visit today and the excellent support we continue to receive from the Lithuanian army,” said Taylor of the 1st Armored Division. “It will be a long and difficult recovery operation, but we are absolutely committed to bringing our soldiers home. I was impressed by the discipline, commitment and comrades of this unit when they tried to restore the missing comrades.”