Overview

• Four US soldiers were confirmed dead after their M88 Hercules recovery vehicle was found submerged in a swampy area near Pabrade, Lithuania.
• The soldiers, part of the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, went missing during a NATO tactical training exercise on March 25, 2025.
• Recovery operations are ongoing, with multinational teams working to extract the vehicle despite difficult terrain and the presence of a gas pipeline.
• The exact circumstances of the accident remain unclear, though it is believed to have been an operational mishap.
• The incident highlights the risks of military exercises in geopolitically sensitive areas, with the training site located near the Belarus border during heightened regional tensions.