4 U.S. Army soldiers missing during training exercise in Lithuania; search and rescue underway
The recent disappearance of four U.S. Army soldiers in Lithuania has raised concerns and triggered a search and recovery operation. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte initially mentioned that the soldiers were killed, but a NATO spokesperson clarified that this information was unconfirmed.
According to a U.S. official, the soldiers went missing due to a training accident. The Pentagon’s chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, expressed sympathy for the soldiers and their families and assured that efforts were being made to locate them.
The soldiers disappeared during a training exercise near Pabrade, a region close to Lithuania’s border with Belarus, a country closely aligned with Russia. The U.S. Embassy in Vilnius acknowledged the assistance of Lithuanian military and police in the search for the missing troops.
The missing soldiers, belonging to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were engaged in scheduled tactical training when the incident occurred. The vehicle they were operating, an M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle, was later found submerged in a body of water within a training area. Recovery operations involving U.S. Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces, and civilian agencies are currently underway.
The situation remains fluid, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available. The safety and well-being of the missing soldiers are paramount, and every effort is being made to locate and recover them. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks and challenges faced by military personnel during training exercises.
