3 US soldiers were found dead in Lithuania after their vehicle sank in a swamp

The deaths of three US Army troops who went missing in Lithuania during a training exercise last week have been discovered, with a fourth still missing, military authorities said Monday.

The Army said that the 70-ton truck was rescued from the swamp early Monday morning. For days, hundreds of people, including technical specialists and US Navy divers, labored to overcome the daunting engineering problem of extracting the car from the bog. Excavators, pumps, and other construction equipment were necessary for the operation.

The soldiers were reported missing on Tuesday after failing to return from a training assignment, according to the United States military. Their vehicle, an M88 Hercules, was discovered submerged in the swamp on Wednesday.

The missing soldiers, from the First Brigade, Third Infantry Division, were training at Pabrade, a city in eastern Lithuania on the border with Belarus, Russia's close ally and staunch supporter of its war in Ukraine.

“The Soldiers we have lost in this tragedy were not just Soldiers - they were a part of our family. Our hearts are heavy with a sorrow that echoes across the whole Marne Division, both forward and at home,” Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division, said in a statement.

“We stand in grief with the families and loved ones of these extraordinary ‘Dogface Soldiers’ during this unimaginable time. But the search isn’t finished until everyone is home. Words cannot express our gratitude to those still working around the clock during these extensive search and recovery efforts and your unwavering commitment not to rest until all are found.”

The search for the fourth soldier will be difficult, according to a senior US Army source in Europe.

According to the announcement on Monday, the Archbishop Metropolitan of Vilnius "led a mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Ladislaus of Vilnius, March 30, to pray for the four soldiers, their families, and those conducting recovery operations."

The US Army and Lithuanian officials are looking into the cause of the mishap.