The U.S. military is urgently working to rescue a 70-ton M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle trapped deep within a swamp near Pabradė, Lithuania, following the disappearance of four American soldiers. These soldiers, stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia, vanished Tuesday during a routine training mission aimed at recovering another vehicle.

According to military officials, Navy divers have managed to attach two lifting cables onto the submerged Hercules, now buried approximately 13 feet underwater and encased beneath 6 feet of thick mud. However, challenging swamp conditions have made the rescue increasingly difficult, causing the vehicle to continue sinking deeper into the peat bog.

Brigadier General John Lloyd, overseeing the North Atlantic Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, highlighted the complexity of the operation. “It’s an extremely challenging rescue due to both the immense weight of the vehicle and the difficult, swampy terrain,” Lloyd explained. Additional specialized equipment called the RAIL system has been deployed to stabilize the area, but progress remains slow.

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė emphasized the country’s commitment, stating they’ve employed helicopters with thermal imaging and ground teams extensively searching for any sign of the missing troops. While acknowledging the severity of the situation, Šakalienė remained hopeful, noting there’s currently no conclusive proof of the soldiers’ fate.

The 3rd Infantry Division has been keeping families informed as military leaders promise relentless efforts to find and recover the missing service members. The site, close to the Belarusian border, is marked by harsh conditions resembling Alaska’s wilderness, significantly complicating rescue operations.

President Donald Trump, asked about the incident, stated that he had yet to receive detailed briefings on the matter.

As the search intensifies, U.S. and Lithuanian forces remain determined to locate the missing soldiers, unwilling to leave any American behind.