US soldier based in Latvia dies in automobile accident in Lithuania

VILNIUS - A US serviceman based in Latvia died after his car fell off a drawbridge into a river in the Lithuanian port city of Klaipeda, sources told BNS on Thursday.

The authorities have reported the accident, but would give no information about the victim.

"The military police have taken over the investigation," Asta Kazukauskiene, spokeswoman for the Klaipeda district police, told BNS.

According to the sources, the 30-year-old US serviceman was in civilian clothes. He had come from Latvia in a rented car and stayed in a hotel in Klaipeda.

At the time of the accident, the drawbridge was up and the barrier was down.

According to the Police Department, a VW Taigo drove into the Dane River in Pilies Street, in downtown Klaipeda, at 0:45 a.m. on Thursday, killing its 30-year-old driver.

The driver's body was found by divers who arrived at the scene.