Vehicle Carrying 4 U.S. Soldiers Is Found in a Lithuanian Swamp, Officials Say

Four US Army personnel went missing while on a training operation near Lithuania's border with Belarus, military authorities said Wednesday, and a search is underway.

“The vehicle was discovered submerged in a body of water in a training area after a search by U.S. Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces and other Lithuanian authorities,” the statement said. “Recovery efforts are underway by U.S. Army and Lithuanian Armed Forces and civilian agencies. Search efforts for the Soldiers continue.”

The soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division were conducting regular tactical training at Pabrade, a city in eastern Lithuania near the Belarusian border, according to the US military.

They were on an M88 Hercules, a large Army tow truck meant to remove crippled tanks from the battlefield, according to the military.

They were ordered out to get another big truck but may have drove off the road and into a bog, according to a US Army official in Europe. According to the official, the troops looked to have become stuck inside the M88 as it sunk.

According to the Lithuanian military, the troops and their vehicle were reported missing at 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday. It stated that Air Force aircraft and other resources were employed to investigate a "potential accident site" in the Pabrade training area.

“I would like to personally thank the Lithuanian Armed Forces and first responders who quickly came to our aid in our search operations,” Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, commanding general of the V Corps, a U.S. Army unit that operates along NATO’s eastern flank, said in a statement on Wednesday. "It's this kind of teamwork and support that exemplifies the importance of our partnership and our humanity regardless of what flags we wear on our shoulders."

Following Russia's invasion of Crimea, the US has maintained a presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltic area under Operation Atlantic Resolve since 2014.

Lithuania, a NATO and EU member, welcomes hundreds of American troops stationed on a rotating basis.

According to a statement released at the time by Lithuania's Ministry of National Defense, a US military installation called installation Herkus was set up near Pabrade in August 2021. The Lithuanian Armed Forces claim it can accommodate up to 700 personnel, or 1000 under temporary conditions.