Body of Fourth Missing US Soldier Recovered in Lithuania
A week after going missing during military drills, the body of the fourth US soldier has been located in Lithuania.
The body of a fourth US soldier has been found in Lithuania, concluding a week-long search after the soldiers went missing during a military training operation near the city of Pabrade.
The group had been conducting exercises in a M88A2 Hercules — a heavy recovery vehicle used by the US military — when it disappeared. On Monday, the vehicle and the bodies of three of the soldiers were discovered submerged in a peat bog.
The recovery effort involved hundreds of personnel, including members of the US Army and Navy, as well as the Lithuanian, Polish, and Estonian Armed Forces. Teams worked tirelessly around the clock to locate the missing soldiers and extract the massive vehicle from the swampy terrain.
“This past week has been devastating. Today our hearts bear the weight of an unbearable pain... the world is darker without them,” said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie in a statement issued by US Army Europe and Africa.
Calling it a "tragic accident," Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza praised the multinational response. “It was humbling to watch the incredible recovery team from different commands, countries, and continents come together,” he said.
The US Army is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The exact location where the final soldier's body was found has not been disclosed.
The M88A2 Hercules — among the heaviest vehicles in the US military fleet — is designed for towing damaged tanks and vehicles off the battlefield. To retrieve the sunken Hercules, two additional vehicles of the same type and several bulldozers were deployed, with crews operating continuously throughout the recovery.
The soldiers had been stationed in Lithuania under Operation Atlantic Resolve, a mission established in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Their names have not yet been released.
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