CAN Enhanced (Permanent?) Fwd Presence in Latvia

[Furniture]

The latest from Euronews:

US troops struggle to drain Lithuania swamp to reach missing soldiers

The four soldiers, whose identities have not been released, went missing early on Tuesday when they were on a mission to recover another Army vehicle during unit training. #EuropeNews

www.euronews.com

Sounds like a case of driving tactical and finding a deep water hole to me.

I'm not sure if M88A2 has the NV periscope or an IR/NV camera, but I know in the TLAV with the NV periscope you couldn't see much...

 

[childs56]

The latest from Euronews:

US troops struggle to drain Lithuania swamp to reach missing soldiers

The four soldiers, whose identities have not been released, went missing early on Tuesday when they were on a mission to recover another Army vehicle during unit training. #EuropeNews

www.euronews.com

They need to call a drilling rig moving company. Bring in some dewatering pumps,swamp mats and a few bed trucks. They would have that thing out of the swamp in no time.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Nothing at that link as of 0840E - and here’s more on Bored Panda;

Bored Panda - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

???

They likley got called out to recover another vehicle that got stuck during training, so not training, but not really operational either.

 

[RangerRay]

I thought I had read that only the vehicle was found and it was empty?

 

[Blackadder1916]

I thought I had read that only the vehicle was found and it was empty?

My understanding is that they've located the vehicle and it's underwater (under mud/peat bog?) about 16 ft down. It's unclear whether or not they've been able to access the vehicle or if it was closed up.

 

[KevinB]

I thought I had read that only the vehicle was found and it was empty?

There are a lot of conflicting reports. Some images appear to show the hatches open.

It’s important to note that the vehicle went missing early afternoon in good weather.

Weird issue is the M88A3 and M88A2 have a crew of three, the M88A1 had a crew of 4, but it hasn’t been used since the 90’s

DCGS (like the earlier Blue Force Tracker) gives the vehicle it’s position, and also relays that position to higher, and it is displayed on a digital map with vehicle status (speed, direction etc). The vehicle went dark around 14:40 local time - vehicle was not located in the area it went offline at.

Generally unless under fire the crews drive hatch up, the driver with shoulders and head above the hatch lip, the commander almost at their waist, with the crane operator doing the same. I’ve never seen a 4th crewman on a M88A2/3. The Crane Op usually discounts to ground guide the vehicle in either areas one needs a ground guide on base, or in sketchy terrain to get the crane positioned.

 

[Blackadder1916]

https://www.europeafrica.army.mil/ArticleViewPressRelease/Article/4139209/press-release-recovery-operations-in-lithuania-march-30-update/

PRESS RELEASE — Recovery Operations in Lithuania March 30 Update​

WIESBADEN, Germany —
Equipment, resources, and personnel continue to flow to the recovery site as operations are ongoing to find four U.S. Soldiers missing since the morning of March 25. The M88A2 Hercules they were operating has continued to sink into the bog, and is assessed to be around four meters below the water’s surface and encased in about two meters of mud. Digging and pumping operations are continuing. A Rapidly Available Interface for Trans-loading (RAIL) system is expected to arrive this afternoon to enable the use of heavier equipment around the site.

The RAIL system is an expeditionary platform used to provide a rapidly constructed and scalable capability platform. Traditionally used to facilitate offloading and onloading railroad networks in challenging terrain, engineers requested the system to help stabilize the ground around the recovery site. U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army 21st Theater Sustainment Command (TSC) are transporting the system from Kaiserslautern, Germany.

“It is highly complex trying to get to the vehicle itself with the terrain out here and where the M88 is sitting in a bog swamp-like area, below the waterline. So not only are we dealing with the terrain, a lot of mud that is over top of the vehicle, but also the fact that it's 70 tons that we're trying to recover out of a swamp or bog,” said Brig. Gen. John Lloyd, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division. “Last night, divers were in the water trying to get to the vehicle. We were unable to because of the amount of mud. We continue to work on the excavation and pumping all the water out of the bog and also using excavation equipment to try to get to the vehicle.”

U.S. Navy divers from Commander, Task Force 68 arrived on site yesterday, and made their initial dive in the early evening. They will continue diving operations as the recovery mission continues.

Rescue workers also attempted to locate the Hercules on sonar yesterday, and subject matter experts determined that a special device called a “subsurface profiler” was needed. Within one hour the Lithuanian government had located a company that owned one, and sent the operator and equipment to the Vilnius airport to link up with a UH-60 Blackhawk from 1st Armored Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade for transport to the recovery site. Six hours after identifying the need, the device was in the water.

As hundreds of Soldiers and other rescue workers continue to arrive, the 21st TSC is resourcing more warming tents, high power generators, and other life support to provide recovery space for the Soldiers, engineers, and other rescue personnel.

“We cannot thank our Allies enough for everything they've done for us to help find our soldiers. They see our Soldiers as their own Soldiers, and we are absolutely in this together. They have been extremely supportive of our families as well, knowing that they're going through a tough time,” said Col. Jim Armstrong commander of 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

The 3rd Inf. Div. is continuing to keep families of the Soldiers informed on the status of recovery efforts.

The muddy hole they're working in.


Additional photos

https://www.europeafrica.army.mil/Newsroom/Photos/igphoto/2003678092/

 

[daftandbarmy]

https://www.europeafrica.army.mil/ArticleViewPressRelease/Article/4139209/press-release-recovery-operations-in-lithuania-march-30-update/

The muddy hole they're working in.

View attachment 92336
Additional photos

https://www.europeafrica.army.mil/Newsroom/Photos/igphoto/2003678092/

https://twitter.com/x/status/1906428144288194974

 

[KevinB]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1906428144288194974

I find it odd that a M88 would be buttoned up for a non combat recovery task, and that it would drive into such a bog during daylight.

 

[FJAG]

I find it odd that a M88 would be buttoned up for a non combat recovery task, and that it would drive into such a bog during daylight.

I've been speculating - without any evidence whatsoever but the slowness of the recovery and the depth involved - that the vehicle may have hit a soft spot on one side on the edge of some deep underwater scour or washout or embankment and turned turtle. It looks like they may have been following some forestry cutline here.

 

[Maxman1]

What was the weather like that day? Maybe they buttoned up because it was cold, and there was just enough ice over the swamp to mistake it for ground.

 

[KevinB]

What was the weather like that day? Maybe they buttoned up because it was cold, and there was just enough ice over the swamp to mistake it for ground.

Apparently sunny with some clouds.

52F during the time the vehicle was operating. Which considering the troops are from Ft Stewart GA could be considered cold.

Now it was just announced that the M88A2 has been removed from the swamp. Now US Military Police, CID, and Lithuanian Military and Civilian Law Enforcement are investigating the scene.

No news on the missing soldiers at this point.

 

[FJAG]

Fox indicates 3 deceased with no indication about a 4th.

3 American soldiers deceased after US armored vehicle pulled from Lithuanian swamp

Three U.S. soldiers were declared deceased Monday after crews in Lithuania retrieved the armored recovery vehicle they were traveling in, which sank in a swamp last week.

www.foxnews.com

 

[T700]

I almost rolled a Leo1 in Pet, road edge was saturated, from beaver dam. Road gave way. A dirt bank stopped us from rolling over into the water. We would not have made it. That was on Brindle 5 km from regimental lines. There is no time to get out once it hits the point of rolling.

RIP to the crew