Velnius (Reuters)-A search for four US soldiers continued in Lithuania after a vehicle was found submerged in a training area, the US Army said on Wednesday.
“The shielded M88 Hercules recovery vehicle that the four missing American soldiers were operating during a training exercise was located in Lithuania,” he said in a statement.
The military search and rescue operation has been underway since Tuesday, after the soldiers and their vehicle have disappeared in the Pabrade training field, about 15 kilometers from Belarus.
US soldiers battalions have been based on the Military Camp since 2019, in relay. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys told the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday that his country is ready to receive more US troops.
On a visit to Warsaw early on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the soldiers were dead, but he had no details. An NATO spokesman later stated that Rutte was not confirming the fate of the missing, who is unknown.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene, who visited the training site on Wednesday night, said no body was found.
Continues after advertising
“That’s why it would be wrong to say that the soldiers are dead,” she told reporters.
The search was expected to continue at night, the US and Lithuanian armies said. The head of Lithuanian Defense, Raimundas Vaksnoras, said rescuers are investigating how fast the marshy place can be drained.
“You all know how important the presence of US troops in Lithuania is. Their soldiers are like our soldiers for us. So we save efforts to find them,” said Vaksnoras.
Continues after advertising
Lithuania began an investigation into the disappearance of soldiers.
The soldiers, all from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were performing tactical training scheduled at the time of the incident, the US Army previously said.
The US Army also said it is keeping families of soldiers informed about search efforts.
Continues after advertising
“The search and rescue mission in Pabrade for missing American soldiers continues. Until they are found – maintaining hope, supporting their families, brothers of arms and all those who are looking out there,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has posted on social networks.
