Four U.S. Army soldiers went missing during a training exercise in Lithuania, leaving behind a submerged military vehicle, officials said Wednesday.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told reporters in Poland that the soldiers had been killed, but a NATO spokesperson later clarified that his comments were based on unconfirmed news reports. “The search is ongoing and the fate of the missing is still unknown,” NATO said in a statement posted on X.
On the 4 US soldiers missing in a military exercise in Lithuania, the search is ongoing. We regret any confusion about remarks @SecGenNATO delivered on this today. He was referring to emerging news reports & was not confirming the fate of the missing, which is still unknown
— NATO Spokesperson (@NATOpress) March 26, 2025
According to reports, the soldiers were operating an M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle near Pabradė, close to Lithuania’s eastern border with Belarus, a Russian ally, when they went missing Tuesday. They are assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.
The U.S. Army said the vehicle was located underwater in the training area after a search by American, Lithuanian, and civilian teams.
The U.S. Embassy in Vilnius expressed gratitude to Lithuania’s military and police for assisting in the search.
“We’re aware that four U.S. soldiers are currently missing in Lithuania during a training exercise and that search and recovery efforts are underway,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the soldiers and families affected by this situation. We will provide more information when it becomes available.”
