Washington (AP) – US and Lithuanian Lithuanian troops and authorities are struggling to drain a marshy area in Lithuania in a continuous effort to recover four soldiers from the US military who disappeared three days ago. The armored vehicle of the soldiers has been discovered overwhelmed in 15 feet of water and so far, the teams have not been able to enter or remove it.
US army Europe and Africa said on Friday that cranes, a large capacity pump and more than 30 tonnes of gravel have been brought to help drain water, dig the mud and pull the Marais Hercules M88. They warn that it will be a long operation.
In a press release, the army said that the area around the site is “incredibly humid and marshy and does not support the weight of the equipment necessary for the recovery of the 70 -ton vehicle without significant engineering improvements. The emptying of the area was slow and difficult due to the infiltration of groundwater. ”
The four soldiers, whose identities were not released, disappeared early Tuesday when they were responsible for recovering another army vehicle during unit training. The Hercules were found on Wednesday and the teams have been working since then to get the vehicle out.
The soldiers are part of the 1st brigade, 3rd infantry division. A US Navy diving team is brought, and the Polish armed forces volunteered to send engineers, additional equipment and 150 staff members to also help.
“It will be a long and difficult recovery operation, but we are absolutely committed to bringing our soldiers back home,” said Major-General Curtis Taylor, commander of the 1st armored division. “I remain incredibly impressed by discipline, commitment and camaraderie in this unit as they try to recover their missing comrades.”
The soldiers were missing during an exercise at General Silvestras žukauskas Training Ground in Pabradė, a city of less than 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the border with the Bélarus.
