The search for the missing US soldiers in the Pabradė training area in eastern Lithuania lasted six days. Ultimately, all four servicemen were found dead. Here’s how the frantic operation unfolded.
March 25, Tuesday. At 16:45, news broke that a US armoured vehicle disappeared during an exercise in Pabradė. Although the information was scarce, officials informed that an operation was underway.
The four US soldiers aboard the M88 tracked recovery vehicle had been in Lithuania for about two months. (More information about the vehicle and what is used for – here.)
March 27, Thursday. Authorities announced that the 60-tonne vehicle was trapped in a swamp, some five metres below the surface.
"There were signs, there were track marks that led to that area. At the beginning, we paid little attention to it, because we didn’t think that the soldiers could have gone there" Lithuanian chief of defence, General Raimundas Vaikšnoras, said at the time.
Although its approximate location was found, no one knew exactly where it was. The plan was to pump out the sludge so that divers could dive in and attach hooks for the vehicle to be pulled out.
"Once the exact location of the vehicle has been found, we will it out with similar armoured vehicles," explained the Lithuanian commander of the rescue operation, Aušrius Buikus.
First, a high-pressure gas pipe running through the area had to be emptied. Simultaneously, a road was built to the site to allow heavy machinery to access the swamp.
March 28, Friday. Authorities announced that the visibility was still poor even after the top layer of the swamp had been drained. Meanwhile, a specialised boat used to dredge rivers in Lithuania was brought onsite.
"If the divers can enter the water and find the vehicle, we will have a result to celebrate in the evening. If not, we will do the job again during the night", said Buikus, commander of the operation.
But there was no news and the teams had to work overnight.
On Saturday, the work continued – slowly.
"The water with silt impurities does not allow us to determine the exact location of the vehicle underwater, neither with the help of divers nor with the help of sonars and echo sounders," said Buikus.
March 30, Sunday. The day started with no good news. Dirt had collapsed onto the location of the armoured vehicle, which required further specialised equipment.
"I have never seen a vehicle stuck like this in my 24 years of service in the army. The difficult thing is that it's not just water and it's not just mud, it's a mixture of both. It is also in a very difficult-to-reach area," US Army Colonel Jim Armstrong described the situation.
In Vilnius, the city's cathedral held a prayer for the missing soldiers.
However, a few hours later came a breakthrough. After diving for four hours, the divers managed to reach the vehicle and attach one hook.
"The divers will continue to work to find a second point and attach a second rope. Why a second? The pull will be more stable and successful," reported Remigijus Baltrėnas from the Lithuanian military.
Just before midnight, the news came that the second rope was attached.
March 31, Monday. Almost a week later, the authorities announced at 16:30 local time that the operation was complete – the vehicle had been pulled out.
Over the next couple of days, the names of three deceased soldiers were officially confirmed, with the fourth body being located in the swamp on Tuesday evening.
On April 3, Wednesday, the operation was officially over.
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