Three of the four missing US Army soldiers have been found dead in the swamp they went missing in following a six-day search, Lithuanian president said Monday.
"It is with deep sadness and sorrow that I received the news of the tragic loss of three US soldiers during a US-led training exercise in Lithuania," President Gitanas Nauseda said on a post on X.
The faith of the fourth soldier remains unknown, but the search and rescue operations will continue, Nauseda added.
Earlier on Monday, Lithuanian authorities said they retrieved the US Army M88 Hercules armoured vehicle submerged in approximately five metres of water.
"The armored vehicle was pulled ashore at 4:40 am, the towing operation is complete, Lithuanian military police and US investigators continue their work,” Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said Monday morning in a post on Facebook.
“Until the investigators have more details, we need to stay calm and focused, and keep in mind the sensitivity of the situation and the concerns of the soldiers’ families,” Šakalienė added.
US Army Europe and Africa said on Friday that cranes, a large-capacity pump and more than 30 tonnes of gravel have been brought in to help drain the water, dig out the mud and pull the ARV out of the swamp.
On Saturday evening, rescuers attempted to dive toward the sunken vehicle, but a dense layer of mud prevented them from reaching the Hercules.
Teams worked to pump and remove the sludge on Sunday as more equipment has been planned to help with the operation.
The soldiers are part of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. A US Navy dive crew is being brought in, and the Polish army has volunteered to send engineers, additional equipment and 150 personnel to also assist.
The four soldiers, whose identities have not been released, went missing on a mission to recover another US Army vehicle during unit training. The Hercules was found on Wednesday, and teams have been working to get the vehicle out since then.
On Sunday, a mass was held at Vilnius Cathedral in honour of the soldiers. The service was attended by US troops, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Christopher Cavoli, and US Ambassador to Lithuania Kara McDonald.
Archbishop Gintaras Grušas led prayers, including a reading in English.
