Three Out of Four Missing US Soldiers Found Dead in Lithuania

March 31, 2025 – Vilnius, Lithuania

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced today that three of the four missing US soldiers have been found deceased. The soldiers went missing after their vehicle sank in a swamp during a training exercise last week. The fate of the fourth soldier remains uncertain, and recovery operations are ongoing.

“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. The search and rescue operation will continue until the fourth soldier is found,” President Nauseda expressed in a post on social media platform X.

The US Army confirmed the tragic developments. "Three US Army Soldiers assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division were found deceased in Lithuania today, March 31," said a statement from the US Army Europe and Africa's public affairs office. The statement added that operations to locate and recover the remaining soldier would continue.

Rescue Efforts and Vehicle Recovery

Earlier in the day, rescuers successfully recovered the armored vehicle involved in the incident, which had been submerged for approximately six days in a marshy area near the town of Pabrade, located just 10 kilometers west of the Belarus border. The recovery operation concluded early this morning, at around 4:30 a.m. local time.

The Lithuanian Defense Ministry confirmed that the recovery did not initially clarify the condition of the soldiers. They stated that an investigation into the incident is ongoing. "After the operation to remove the armored vehicle from the swamp is completed, the Lithuanian Military Police and US investigators are continuing their work at the site," the ministry wrote.

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene emphasized the need for continued patience as officials gather more information. "If the recovery of the vehicle does not provide all the answers, the work will have to continue," she noted in a Facebook post.

Details of the Incident

The soldiers were participating in a tactical exercise at a large training area in Pabrade when they reported missing on Tuesday morning. A joint operation between the Lithuanian military, police, and US military launched in response led to the vehicle's location, which was submerged in about 5 meters (16 feet) of water.

Hundreds of local and foreign troops, along with engineers and divers, participated in the extensive search and recovery operations.

Currently, more than 1,000 American troops are stationed in Lithuania as part of NATO commitments, amidst heightened tensions in the region following Russia's ongoing military actions in Ukraine.

Conclusion

The discovery of the deceased soldiers has cast a somber shadow on the ongoing military cooperation between Lithuania and the US. Authorities will continue the search for the fourth soldier, as well as the investigation into this tragic incident. Updates will follow as more information becomes available.