Tragedy in Lithuanian bog: Relentless search for missing soldier
The tragic events at the Lithuanian training ground in Pabrade have not yet concluded. Experts believe that the body of the last victim from the accident may be trapped in a layer of silt near where the M88 Hercules armored vehicle sank. Despite the efforts of divers and soldiers, finding the body has proven challenging.
— If the Hercules drove into the bog at high speed, a crew member might have been thrown out or may have attempted to escape the vehicle. Operating in cold water and such a dense environment is nearly impossible. As the vehicle sank, a depression formed, and layers of mud closed over the soldier, leaving him there — said Maciej Rokus, head of the Polish Special Rescue and Diving Group, which has been involved in many rescue and search operations, to WP.
Meanwhile, at the Pabrade training ground, Lithuanian and American officials reported that the bodies of three soldiers were recovered after the wreck was retrieved. The search for the fourth crew member will continue until successful.
— It's a difficult and labor-intensive task, but we should be able to locate the fourth victim. We are considering sending our team to Lithuania to join the search — Maciej Rokus told WP.
Drama at the training ground: Will they find the last soldier?
Maciej Rokus explained his hypothesis about the fate of the last missing victim. He believes the soldier might have remained in the bog where the vehicle's front end was. Over the weekend, search operation participants in Lithuania speculated that if the crew had tried to save themselves, the soldiers' bodies might have been located near the sunken machine. This theory was confirmed on Monday evening by Gen. Remigijus Baltrėnas, Chief of Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
— It's difficult to discuss details, but possibly the water and mud pressure when the armored vehicle submerged could have ejected the soldier from the vehicle — Gen. Baltrenas told the media.
The general added that the search area had been divided into sectors for a thorough search. Polish engineers joined the search for the missing soldier, reported Lithuanian media, referring to sappers from the unit in Orzysz, who had previously offered assistance.
Two Estonian police units with service dogs are participating in the search, along with an amphibious excavator with a rake, which is going through the layers of mud. Gen. Baltrėnas reported that divers, sonars, and drones are also being used in the operation.
Tragedy in Lithuania: How did the soldiers' accident occur?
It was previously confirmed that the soldiers were part of the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division. On Tuesday, March 25, they set out with the M88 Hercules to evacuate another American vehicle that had broken down during military exercises. The crew sent for the task was reported missing.
Later evidence showed that their 139,000-pound vehicle drove into the bog and sank. The site has been described as a trap: beneath the grass and vegetation lies a 39-foot-deep marsh.
Lithuanian, American, and Polish soldiers, including sappers from Orzysz (Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship), joined in the rescue and search operation. Progress was slow for several days, and the search operation at the Lithuanian training ground is notable for the challenges faced: divers had to operate in black, murky water, working blindly in total darkness.
A breakthrough occurred on Sunday when American divers succeeded in attaching the first line to the vehicle. The operation continued, and the vehicle was retrieved on Monday at dawn.
