A U.S. armored recovery vehicle missing in Lithuania has been located and retrieved from a swamp after an intensive six-day search, but the status of the four American soldiers aboard remains unknown, Lithuanian officials confirmed Monday.
The M88 Hercules armored vehicle, which weighs approximately 70 tons, was discovered submerged in 4.5 meters (15 feet) of water near the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, close to the Belarusian border. The vehicle was recovered at 4:40 a.m. local time, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė announced in a public statement.
“The towing operation is complete. Lithuanian Military Police and U.S. investigators continue their work,” Šakalienė wrote on Facebook, urging the public and media to remain calm and sensitive to the situation, particularly out of respect for the families of the missing soldiers.
The soldiers, assigned to the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were engaged in tactical training exercises when both they and the vehicle went missing early last Tuesday.
A joint Lithuanian-U.S. search operation was launched immediately, involving military personnel, rescuers, and specialized recovery teams operating in challenging terrain marked by dense forests, swamps, and unstable ground.
The recovery effort was delayed by environmental factors. According to military sources, the swampy area where the vehicle was found required the use of specialized equipment to drain surrounding water and stabilize the soft ground. Only after these conditions were addressed could the vehicle be safely pulled ashore.
The U.S. Army has taken lead responsibility for notifying the families and providing any updates on the fate of the missing personnel. As of Monday afternoon, no additional information has been released regarding the condition or whereabouts of the four soldiers.
Pabradė, located just 10 kilometers from the Belarusian border, is frequently used for joint NATO training exercises and has seen increased activity in recent years amid rising regional tensions. The current incident marks one of the most serious training-related events involving U.S. forces in the region in recent memory.
Investigations into the cause of the incident and the events leading up to the disappearance remain ongoing.
