Search team finds bodies of 2 missing U.S. soldiers
Two American soldiers who went missing after their army vehicle fell into the Hantan River were found dead yesterday in Yangcheon County in Gyeonggi, according to authorities.The two soldiers from the U.S. Army’s Second Infantry Division were driving a Humvee during field training exercises on Thursday afternoon near the Rodriguez Live Fire Range when it fell into the river.
The U.S. military requested the Korean Army’s cooperation yesterday morning after an overnight search ended unsuccessfully.
A search team made up of five divers and two helicopters found the submerged Humvee yesterday morning around 10 a.m. The two soldiers were found dead inside.
U.S. and Korean authorities also found tire remnants and the vehicle’s antenna in the dam of the river.
The infantry said that they could not confirm the identities of the soldiers - a major and a corporal - without the consent of the family.
As a result, the U.S. and South Korean militaries cancelled a live-fire drill scheduled for yesterday morning that had been planned to commemorate the third anniversary of North Korea’s shelling of Yeonpyeong in November 2010, which killed four South Koreans.
The U.S. Army has pulled the vehicle from the water and is investigating the incident.
The Second Infantry Division expressed their condolences and said they are doing their best to determine the cause of the accident.
BY PARK EUN-KYOUNG CONTRIBUTING WRITER [enational@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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