While retrieving a sunken United States military vehicle from a swamp at the Pabradė training ground for the fifth day, Minister of National Defense Dovilė Šakalienė says that the work has been complicated by fallen turf, and that more equipment is planned to be used - another excavator, a dredger, and more trucks.
"The head of the operation just informed me that a huge piece of turf fell on top of the place where the armored vehicle is, (...) it slid onto that place. Some consolation is that the turf is still easier and faster to dig up, and excavation is now very intensive," D. Šakalienė told LRT radio on Sunday.
"There is a need for another long-arm amphibious excavator to speed up the work, as I mentioned, there is a need for a third dredger and more trucks will be needed to remove the mud," she said.
According to the minister, excavation work is currently being temporarily halted because there is no room for the excavated dirt.
Colonel Aušrius Buikus, who is leading the operation, said on Saturday that the situation is complicated because the water and mud make it impossible to determine the exact location of the vehicle.
D. Šakalienė clarified that the location of the armored vehicle is known, but it is not known what position the vehicle is in.
"We cannot determine the position, the situation, the place, the location where the armored vehicle is, is known, we already determined it two days ago with complete accuracy, but it is the position (unknown - BNS), a lot depends on that, how we will be able to hook and pull the armored vehicle outward," the minister said.
"We can't reach it with sonars, echolocators, or anything brought in." JAV "We need military equipment to accurately determine the contours of the armored vehicle, which would show in what position it is submerged in the mud, because it is deeply submerged, so whether it is on its side, diagonally, or completely overturned, we cannot say this with certainty," she said.
US divers made their first dive into the water on Saturday evening, but were unable to reach the armored vehicle. The vehicle is believed to be about four meters deep, according to a statement from US forces in Europe and Africa on social media.
According to D. Šakalienė, divers are now trying to find out whether there are any bodies of soldiers around the armored vehicle.
"This is one of the biggest priorities here," she said.
BNS reported that an M88 Hercules tracked rescue vehicle with four American soldiers on board went missing on Tuesday during an exercise at the Pabradė training ground in the Švenčionys district.
The location of the incident was determined on Wednesday - the equipment was found in a swampy area at a depth of about five meters. It is not yet clear whether there are any missing people inside. soldiers, rescuers are currently trying to pull the armored vehicle to land.
The Lithuanian and US militaries, as well as the country's institutions, are participating in the large-scale rescue operation. Several dozen Polish soldiers and equipment have also arrived to help.
Author Vilmantas Venckūnas
