Three of the four U.S. Army soldiers missing in Lithuania since last week were found dead inside their armored vehicle, according to the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command.
The soldiers, all members of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Stewart in Savannah, were part of a tactical training lane when they and their vehicle went missing Tuesday. Their names are being withheld until their families are notified.
The bodies were recovered after a six-day multinational search by U.S., Polish and Lithuanian armed forces and authorities. The M88 Hercules vehicle was found submerged in 4.5 meters of water in a peat bog in the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground near Pabradė, not far from the border with Belarus.
Hundreds of Lithuanian and U.S. soldiers and rescuers scoured dense forests and swampy terrain near Pabradė. Lithuanian authorities provided wide-ranging support, including military helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, drones, search and rescue personnel, heavy construction equipment and technical expertise, AP reports.
U.S. Navy divers battled zero visibility conditions to reach the vehicle and attach cables, enabling it to be towed out Monday morning.
“The armored vehicle was pulled ashore at 4:40 a.m., the towing operation is complete, Lithuanian Military Police and US investigators continue their work,” Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said on Facebook.
One soldier remains unaccounted for. The search continues, with a Navy dive team using radar to help locate the missing soldier.
“We stand in grief with the families and loved ones of these extraordinary ‘Dogface Soldiers’ during this unimaginable time,” said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commander. “But the search isn’t finished until everyone is home.”
An investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing by U.S. Army and Lithuanian authorities.
