The week-long search for four missing U.S. Army soldiers in Lithuania has ended in tragedy.
All four servicemen disappeared during a training exercise near the Belarusian border.
In a press release shared on April 1, the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command confirmed that all of them had been found dead.
The soldiers went missing on the morning of March 25 while performing a routine task involving the recovery of a disabled vehicle at the Pabrade training area, about 10 kilometers from the Lithuanian-Belarusian border.
Their M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicle, weighing more than 60 tons, sank in a swamp several meters deep.
The recovery operation involved hundreds of personnel from the U.S. Army and Air Force, along with support from Lithuania, Poland, Estonia, and local civilian agencies.
Over the past week, rescuers faced grueling conditions: thick mud, deep silt, and near-zero visibility underwater.
Navy divers were able to hook the sunken recovery vehicle with steel cables, which were then connected to two additional M88A2 vehicles and multiple bulldozers. But the terrain severely hampered progress.
Swampy, unstable ground and high groundwater levels made it impossible to deploy heavy machinery without building out temporary infrastructure to support it.
On March 31, the team managed to pull the massive armored vehicle from the swamp. Within hours, the remains of three of the four soldiers were recovered from inside. The final missing soldier was found the following day in a nearby area of the swamp.
Victims Part of Georgia-Based Infantry Brigade
The deceased soldiers belonged to the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, based in Fort Stewart, Georgia.
They were taking part in scheduled joint tactical exercises—part of NATO-aligned efforts to strengthen defense capabilities near the eastern flank of the alliance.
Their mission at the time of the accident was to repair and tow a broken-down military vehicle using the M88A2 Hercules, a heavily armored vehicle designed for battlefield recovery operations.
A full investigation has been launched to determine what went wrong.
The U.S. Army says it will share more details as the inquiry progresses.
“This tragic incident underscores the risks our soldiers face even during training operations,” said U.S. military officials. Lithuanian authorities also expressed condolences, with General Remigijus Baltrenas, Chief of Lithuania’s Defense Staff, confirming the final discovery and acknowledging the international effort involved.
