Search Operation Underway
The search for four US soldiers who went missing during a training exercise in eastern Lithuania on Tuesday, March 25, continues. Reports indicate that the armored vehicle in which they were traveling has been found submerged in water. The information has been confirmed by the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT and Reuters.
The US Army stated, ‘The M88 Hercules armored vehicle in which the four missing US soldiers were traveling during training has been found.’ The military search and rescue operation began around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday when the soldiers and their vehicle went missing at the Pabrade training ground, situated about 15 kilometers from Belarus.
According to military officials, on the same day, Lithuanian and foreign soldiers, along with helicopters from the Air Force and the State Border Guard Service, were dispatched to search for the missing personnel.
On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte indicated that four American soldiers had died but admitted he was unaware of any details at the point. This announcement sparked immediate concern and confusion.
However, the Lithuanian Armed Forces later assured the public that there was no evidence indicating that the soldiers had perished. They stated, ‘At the moment there is no evidence or information to confirm the death of the soldiers. The rescue operation led by the Lithuanian Armed Forces is continuing intensively,’ in a statement released on the social media platform X.
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart clarified that Rutte had misspoken and that he did not intend to declare that the soldiers were deceased. In her message, she expressed regret regarding the confusion saying, ‘We regret any confusion over @SecGenNATO’s statements on this matter. He was referring to breaking news and did not confirm the fate of the missing, which is still unknown.’
Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė, who visited the search site that evening, reported that no bodies had been located, stating, ‘It would therefore be wrong to say that the soldiers are dead.’ She committed to keeping the public informed once more information became available.
Minister Šakalienė remarked that the search and rescue operation was technically complex.
Defence Chief Raimund Vaikšnor added that rescuers were assessing how quickly the swampy area could be drained, saying, ‘The equipment and machinery that would be needed have now been concentrated [here]. You all know how important the presence of US troops in Lithuania is. Their soldiers are like our soldiers to us. That is why we are sparing no effort to find them.’ He emphasized the ongoing uncertainty regarding the timeline for rescue operations.
All soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, had been conducting planned tactical training at the time of their disappearance, as noted by the US Army.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda expressed hopefulness regarding the search, stating, ‘The search and rescue mission for the missing US soldiers continues in Pabrade. Until they are found – we remain hopeful, stand with their families, brothers in arms, and all those who are searching.’
According to a US Army official stationed in Europe, the M88 is essentially a large army tow truck designed to recover damaged vehicles from the field. The military personnel had reportedly been dispatched to retrieve another heavy vehicle but may have inadvertently veered off the road and into a swamp, leading to the unfortunate incident.
