Overview

• Four US soldiers have been missing since March 25 during a NATO training exercise near Pabrade, Lithuania, close to the Belarus border.
• Their M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle was located submerged in a swamp, approximately five meters deep in mud, complicating recovery efforts.
• Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene stated that no bodies have been found, and it remains unclear if the soldiers are inside the vehicle.
• Confusion arose after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte suggested the soldiers were presumed dead, but this was later clarified as unconfirmed.
• The recovery operation faces technical challenges due to the swampy terrain, with search crews working to drain the area and reach the vehicle.