Скачать или смотреть BOSNIA: FLOODS HAMPER US ARMY ENGINEERS PONTOON BRIDGE PROJECT

(27 Dec 1995) English/Nat

American soldiers continue to struggle with floodwater and deep mud alongside the swollen Sava River that forms the border between Bosnia and Croatia.

U-S army engineers are preparing to lay a pontoon bridge across the river which will be the main crossing point for the bulk of the 20-thousand U-S soldiers.

If the appalling weather conditions continue, it remains to be seen whether the bridge project - to be completed before the end of the year - can be finished on schedule.

The continuous winter rain has swollen the River Sava and turned its banks into mud and slush.

This U-S soldier in his army jeep or humvee wasn't going anywhere without a little help from his friends.

He was just one of many casualties of the terrible weather.

Equipment and the soldiers' camp have already been moved to higher ground to avoid the floodwaters.

The troops are camped at Zupanja on the Croatian side of the River Sava.

Their mission - to build a floating bridge.

But despite the appalling conditions, the morale is very high and the soldiers say it is definitely better than training.

SOUNDBITE:
We have a high state of readiness and that's the best way I could describe it. Staying in the middle of a, if you want to say, war-torn country. High state of readiness. But I tell you here, the way we're living here is actually better than the way we live when we actually train.
SUPER CAPTION: Lieutenant Frank Lozano, U-S Army

The conditions are no better on the Bosnian side of the river.

This tank is waiting in the pouring rain for yet another barge to arrive - this is the only way of getting across the river until the bridge is completed.

The Sava serves as the border between Croatia and the northern part of the Bosnian federation.

But all the bridges in the area were destroyed during the war.

U-S troops need to get across it so they can make their way down to U-S headquarters in the Bosnian city of Tuzla.

It also allows them access to the Posavina Corridor, one of the most hotly contested pieces of land in the war as it links the two main Bosnian Serb territories.

The U-S troops will be stationed their to monitor the peace and keep the two sides apart.

The troops say that so far, they haven't met any resistance from either Croats or Bosnian Serbs who all have claims to territory in the area.

SOUNDBITE:
The civilians have freedom of movement, to move back and forth. Whether they're Croats or.. it doesn't matter to us. At the moment we're not stopping any military traffic. I think come the 14th is when we have to start stopping, keep the Serbs on their side and keep the Croats on their side.
SUPER CAPTION: Bill Alford , U-S Army

The Americans are hoping the pontoon bridge will be well and truly in place by then,
Completion date is set for 31 January but the weather may yet through a spanner in the works.

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