Search continues for missing US soldiers in Lithuania after vehicle found submerged

A search operation is underway for four U.S. soldiers missing in Lithuania after their armored recovery vehicle was found submerged in a training area, the U.S. Army confirmed on March 26.

"The M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle the four missing U.S. Soldiers were operating during a training exercise has been located in Lithuania," the U.S. Army said in a statement, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The search and rescue mission, launched on March 25, is focused on the Pabrade training ground, located about 15 kilometers (nine miles) from the Belarusian border. The soldiers and their vehicle went missing during a scheduled tactical training exercise.

Battalions of U.S. troops have been stationed at the military camp in rotations since 2019. Lithuanian Foreign Affairs Minister Kestutis Budrys, speaking with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on March 25, reiterated Lithuania’s readiness to host additional American forces.

During a visit to Warsaw on March 26, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the soldiers had died, but later clarification from a NATO spokesperson indicated that Rutte was not confirming their fate, which remains unknown.

Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene, who visited the training site late on March 26, stated that no bodies had been recovered.

"That's why it would be wrong to say that the soldiers are dead," she told reporters.

Both the U.S. and Lithuanian militaries have committed to continuing the search operation through the night. Lithuanian Chief of Defence Raimundas Vaiksnoras emphasized the urgency of the mission and the significance of U.S. troops in the region.

"You all know how important is the presence of U.S. troops in Lithuania. Their soldiers are like our soldiers to us. So we spare no effort to find them," Vaiksnoras said.

Efforts are also being made to assess how quickly the swampy location where the vehicle was found could be drained to aid the operation. Meanwhile, Lithuanian authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance.

The U.S. Army confirmed that families of the missing soldiers were being kept informed about the search progress.

"The search & rescue mission in Pabrade for missing US soldiers is ongoing. Until they are found — staying hopeful, standing with their families, brothers in arms, and all those out there searching," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda posted on social media.

By Vugar Khalilov