NATO clarifies comments that four missing US soldiers had died during training in Lithuania
apnews.com
NATO is clarifying comments that Secretary-General Mark Rutte made when he suggested that four U.S. soldiers who went missing while training in Lithuania had died.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that four U.S. soldiers who went missing while training in Lithuania have died, but that he did not yet know the details.

A U.S. official would say only that the four soldiers were involved in a training accident. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, would not comment on the status of the soldiers.

Rutte said during a trip to Warsaw that he had received word of the deaths of the four soldiers and that his thoughts were with their families and with the United States.

“This is still early news so we do not know the details. This is really terrible news and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones,” Rutte told reporters in Warsaw.

  • perestroika@lemm.eeEnglish
    7·
    5 days ago

    P.S. Additions / corrections, since journalists finally reached the area and there are photos.

    https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/kariuomene-laukiama-i-pabrades-poligona-atvykstancios-zemsiurbes-120096976

    The area has peat bogs, but this is a bog lake. The ground is very soft and the bottom is very muddy. Lithuanians are literally building a road there with an ultra-wide-tracked excavator, likely with the goal of getting a heavy construction crane into range of the sinking place. Since the vehicle is 60+ tons, I think they’ll bring a crane rated for 120+ tons.

    Since the lake looks like one could climb out (the far side has forest), the men are likely in the vehicle. Since the vehicle is not waterproofed, they’re unfortunately dead.

    Since the lake is clearly discernible as a lake, I think they drove in darkness without anyone having their head out, and toppled into the lake sideways by going on “ground” that liquefied and didn’t support their vehicle.