Fatal Training Accident in Lithuania Leaves 4 US Soldiers Dead

Early last Wednesday morning, four American soldiers assigned to 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division went missing by the Lithuania-Belarus border during a NATO exercise. A US Army Europe-Africa press release stated that they were conducting tactical training, with no further details being released.

However, it is alleged that part of their training was to recover a missing Army vehicle in a swamp. These soldiers were last seen at the Pabrade Training Ground, where US soldiers have been rotating since 2019. This area is situated roughly 10 kilometers away from Belarus. Due to the proximity to the border, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s authoritarian ruling style and friendly relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, conspiracy theories about false flag operations or even an ambush arose. However, a tragic accident in hostile terrain is the most likely answer, as this area is an incredibly swampy environment. Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene helped coordinate a search and rescue mission with the involvement of both American and Lithuanian forces. Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz pledged to send scuba divers and equipment to help with the search. These soldiers have been deployed to the region for approximately two months, and the Lithuanian Army is in touch with their families. United States Ambassador to Lithuania Kara C. McDonald visited the site and said the US authorities “will not rest until we find them.”

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A US Army statement issued on Friday confirmed that their 70-ton M88 Hercules they had been operating “was found submerged approximately 15 feet under a body of water and mud in a boggy area”. The vehicle appeared to be continuously sinking, and the Army warned that pulling it up to the surface would be slow and difficult. A specialized Navy dive team flew in from Rota. Due to the clay-like consistency of the mud, they were unable to completely reach the vehicle, but they were able to connect a line to one hoist-point. The goal is to attach multiple lines to several hoist points and eventually pull it up from the swamp. Another US Army statement said: “This is the first big step towards successfully recovering the vehicle and bringing our Soldiers home.” The search for the soldiers has now transitioned from a rescue mission to a recovery mission. These soldiers were part of a 16,000 member NATO deployment intended to deter Russia. About 14,000 of these soldiers were deployed to Poland, 1,000 to Lithuania, and 700 to Estonia. Those missing have still not been identified. 

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UPDATE 3/31: The bodies of three of the soldiers have been recovered. The search for the fourth is still underway.

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(Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Saunders)