4 US Soldiers Found Dead After Going Missing Near Lithuanian Border

Four U.S. soldiers who went missing near the Lithuanian border with Belarus have been found dead, according to reports from the Baltic News Service (BNS). The soldiers disappeared during what the U.S. Army described as a planned tactical training exercise.

Lithuanian and foreign soldiers, along with air force helicopters and border guards, joined in the search effort after the soldiers were reported missing. The military established a “likely location of the incident,” according to LRT, a Lithuanian public broadcaster. Unconfirmed reports suggest the soldiers may have been traveling in an M88 tracked vehicle.

The U.S. Army confirmed that the missing soldiers were assigned to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. Maj. Gen. Charles Costanza, commander of the V Corps of the U.S. Army, expressed gratitude to the Lithuanian soldiers and officers who quickly responded to the search operations.

BNS reported the deaths a short time after reporting the soldiers as missing. Lithuanian news outlets TV3.lt and lrytas.lt added that their tracked vehicle was found in a swamp. Official sources have not yet confirmed these details or provided further information.

According to TV3.lt sources, the incident was a tragic accident.