Three U.S. Soldiers Found Dead After Vehicle Recovered in Lithuanian Swamp

The bodies of three soldiers have been recovered, while the search for a fourth continues following a NATO training exercise near the Belarus border.

An M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle carrying four U.S. soldiers sank in a Lithuanian swamp during a training exercise on March 25, 2025.
The vehicle was successfully recovered early on March 31 after a six-day multinational effort involving U.S., Lithuanian, and Polish forces.
The bodies of three soldiers were found at the site, while the fourth soldier remains missing as search and recovery operations continue.
The challenging recovery operation required specialized equipment to stabilize the swampy terrain and extract the 70-ton vehicle from 15 feet of water and thick mud.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing, with officials emphasizing sensitivity toward the soldiers' families and withholding identities until notifications are complete.