Belarus US military: Fourth soldier found dead in Lithuania
Following the recovery of a tank submerged several meters deep in mud in Lithuania, rescue workers near Pabrade have now also found the body of the fourth and last missing US soldier. The member of the US Army was found dead on Tuesday afternoon, according to the US Army's European Command Center in Wiesbaden. The White House and the Pentagon also confirmed the man's death.
01.04.2025, 19:44
SDA
The US government in Washington expressed its dismay at the death of the soldiers, expressed its condolences to their families and thanked the emergency services for the days-long search operation. Lithuania's Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene spoke of "heartbreaking news from Pabrade" and expressed her condolences, as did the entire political leadership of the Baltic EU and NATO country.
Days-long search and rescue operation
The four US soldiers had been missing since last Tuesday. They were part of an infantry brigade and could no longer be found after an exercise. The Lithuanian military and police then launched a search operation with the US military for the troops, who were traveling in an M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle.
Hundreds of soldiers and rescue workers took part in the operation. This eventually led to the vehicle being located in a body of water on the training ground, which is criss-crossed by dense forests and swampy terrain. It was only after days of effort that the rescue forces succeeded in recovering the military vehicle, which weighed several tons, on Monday night with the help of special equipment. The deaths of three soldiers had already been confirmed on Monday. The US Army and the Lithuanian authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Great sympathy - also from German soldiers
There is great sympathy in Lithuania for the fate of the US soldiers: people laid flowers and lit candles in front of the US embassy. Earlier on Sunday, there was a joint prayer for the missing troops in Vilnius Cathedral. Soldiers from the German Armed Forces, who are stationed in the Catholic Baltic state, also took part.
