Four US soldiers disappear in Lithuania after military exercises

In Pabradė, Lithuania, four US soldiers and their tracked transport vehicle went missing following military exercises on March 26. Lithuanian Army Major Gintautas Ciunis confirmed that authorities had identified the likely location of the incident.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Alfred Johnson, U.S. Army, https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/pdm/

M88 Recovery Vehicle & M992 field artillery ammunition supply vehicle

M88 Recovery Vehicle Found Submerged

Shortly after, an M88 armored recovery vehicle, used by the missing soldiers, was discovered submerged in a body of water on the training ground. The US Army in Europe, along with Lithuanian armed forces and other authorities, conducted the search.

Three Possible Scenarios for the Missing Soldiers

Military analyst Darius Antanaitis outlined three possible explanations:

• The soldiers drowned inside the vehicle.
• They escaped but drowned due to the weight of body armor, boots, and weapons.
• The soldiers made it to shore but are now hiding, possibly in panic.

Antanaitis emphasized that training exercises follow strict rules, and vehicles are not supposed to deviate from designated routes.

"It is unlikely they deliberately drove into a swamp. No one would have ordered them to do so," he stated.

Speculation on Russian Involvement

The Baltic News Service (BNS), citing anonymous sources, suggested that Russian and Belarusian intelligence agencies could be linked to the incident.

The report noted that both US and Lithuanian officials were actively discussing this theory, particularly because the incident occurred near the Belarusian border. However, BNS provided no evidence to support this claim.

Search Efforts Continue

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte acknowledged the possibility that the missing soldiers did not survive. However, a Pentagon representative stated there was no confirmed information on their deaths, emphasizing that the search operation was ongoing.

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė confirmed that both US and Lithuanian forces were actively involved in the search. Specialized equipment, including a dredging machine, was being used to clear mud around the submerged vehicle, and water was being pumped out of the swamp.

Rescue mission commander Lt. Col. Aušrys Buikus announced that Polish and American divers were expected to arrive soon to conduct underwater search operations.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Lithuania Kara McDonald reassured that efforts would continue until the soldiers were found.

"The terrain is challenging. Our hearts and thoughts are with the families of the missing soldiers. We will not stop until we find them. No area will remain unsearched, and all necessary resources will be deployed," she said.