Bodies of Three Missing American Soldiers Found in a Swamp in Lithuania

The United States Army reports that the bodies of three American soldiers who went missing during a military exercise a few days ago have been found in a submerged military vehicle in a swamp in Lithuania. The U.S. Africa and Europe Command stated in a statement released on Sunday, April 11, that the three soldiers went missing in the early hours of April 5 while on a mission to repair and relocate a tactical vehicle. According to the statement, the identities of the three soldiers will not be disclosed until their families are notified. Radio Free Europe reports that the armored vehicle of the three soldiers was found earlier around noon on Sunday. Over the past six days, rescue operations to locate these soldiers had commenced in the military training area of 'Pabrade' near the border of Lithuania and Belarus. Four American soldiers have been missing for six days, and the fate of the fourth soldier remains unclear. The President of Lithuania stated that the search for the fourth soldier, who was part of this group, is still ongoing. The U.S. Army announced that these soldiers were deployed to Lithuania to support an operation and had previously served at 'Fort Stewart' in Georgia. The disappearance of these four soldiers triggered a large-scale rescue operation involving hundreds of soldiers from Lithuania, Poland, and the U.S., along with dozens of vehicles. Lithuania, a NATO and EU member, hosts over a thousand U.S. military personnel. In the initial hours of the search for the missing soldiers, conflicting reports emerged, including statements from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who announced that the four soldiers had lost their lives. A NATO spokesperson later retracted these statements. The U.S. Army and Lithuanian officials say they are investigating the cause of this incident.