U.S. Navy divers have effectively secured two lines to hoisting points on an M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle that sank while transporting four U.S. Army soldiers. The soldiers went missing early Tuesday during a training exercise in Pabradė, Lithuania.
The soldiers, stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia, were aboard the vehicle on a routine mission intended for the recovery of another vehicle in the training area when their whereabouts became uncertain.
Following the attachment of the second line to the Hercules on Sunday, the Army indicated that the vehicle could be secured to stop it from sinking deeper into the bog.
“Engineers are set to begin winching operations early this morning,” stated the U.S. Army Europe and Africa in a post on X. The Army acknowledged that the process promises to be lengthy and challenging due to the difficult terrain surrounding the peat bog but noted that rescue teams remain determined.
Earlier on Sunday, divers had already secured the first line to a hoisting point on the vehicle. However, the Army anticipated that winching would take longer than expected with both lines in place, due to the pressure and suction caused by the mud.
U.S. Army operations in Europe and Africa reported that the Hercules continues to submerge in the bog, estimated to be approximately four meters beneath the water’s surface and surrounded by around two meters of mud. To support excavation efforts, a Rapidly Available Interface for Trans-loading (RAIL) system is expected to be brought to the site later.
Brig. Gen. John Lloyd, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division, explained the complexities faced in retrieving the 70-ton vehicle from the boggy environment. Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė stated that Lithuania has mobilized all available resources in the search effort since learning about the incident, and highlighted their commitment to finding the soldiers. As of Thursday afternoon, there was still no confirmed information about the soldiers’ status, but the search continues.
