3 American soldiers deceased after US armored vehicle pulled from Lithuanian swamp

Three American soldiers were declared deceased on Monday after crews in Lithuania retrieved the M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle they were traveling in, which sank in a swamp last week.

The announcement came as search and recovery efforts are ongoing for a fourth soldier near Pabradė, Lithuania, according to U.S. Army Europe and Africa. 

"Three U.S. Army soldiers assigned to 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division were found deceased in Lithuania today, March 31. The soldiers, whose identities are being withheld pending notification of next of kin, went missing in the early morning hours of March 25 in their M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicle while conducting a mission to repair and tow an immobilized tactical vehicle," U.S. Army Europe and Africa said in a statement.

"The M88A2 was removed from the peat bog early Monday morning, March 31, after a six-day-long effort that required tremendous resources from Lithuania, our steadfast ally, and hundreds of service members from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Lithuanian Armed Forces and the Polish Armed Forces – along with other elements from the Lithuanian government and civilian agencies – to solve the engineering challenge of recovering the 63-ton-vehicle from an area surrounded by unstable ground conditions," it added.

US ARMORED VEHICLE PULLED FROM LITHUANIAN SWAMP

"The soldiers we have lost in this tragedy were not just soldiers – they were a part of our family. Our hearts are heavy with a sorrow that echoes across the whole Marne Division, both forward and at home," said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commanding general. "We stand in grief with the families and loved ones of these extraordinary ‘Dogface Soldiers’ during this unimaginable time.

"But the search isn’t finished until everyone is home. Words cannot express our gratitude to those still working around the clock during these extensive search and recovery efforts and your unwavering commitment not to rest until all are found," he also said.

The Army said "Lithuanian armed forces provided military helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, and search and rescue personnel immediately to join the effort, and over the sequence of days brought in excavators, sluice and slurry pumps, other heavy construction equipment, technical experts, and several hundred tons of gravel and earth to enable the recovery."

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said Monday, "It is with deep sadness and sorrow that I received the news of the tragic loss of three U.S. soldiers during a US-led training exercise in Lithuania."

In a post on X, Nausėda tagged President Donald Trump and wrote, "Lithuania mourns together with the American nation. 

"Please accept my heartfelt condolences, as well as those of the Lithuanian people, to you, the loved ones of those who lost their lives, and all the people of the United States of America," he continued.

LITHUANIAN, POLISH TROOPS AID IN ‘SEARCH AND RECOVERY’ FOR 4 MISSING US SOLDIERS FROM FORT STEWART

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė announced on Facebook earlier this morning that "The armored vehicle was pulled ashore at 4:40 a.m., the towing operation is complete, Lithuanian Military Police and U.S. investigators continue their work," according to the Associated Press.

"The soldiers were deployed to Lithuania in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, and were permanently stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia," according to the Army.

"U.S. Navy divers assigned to Commander, Task Force 68 assisted the recovery team with finding and accessing two hoist points Sunday evening. They maneuvered through thick layers of mud, clay, and sediment with zero visibility to reach the vehicle and hook steel cables that were attached to two M88A2 Hercules," it added. "Partway through the extraction the M88A2s began to lose traction, so several dozers were attached to provide additional grip. It took approximately two hours of winching to remove the M88A2 from the bog.

The soldiers first disappeared early Tuesday. The next day, the M88 Hercules was discovered in a peat bog and was "assessed to be around four meters below the water’s surface and encased in about two meters of mud," U.S. Army Europe and Africa also said.

The cause of the accident remains unclear.