3 U.S. soldiers found dead in Lithuania; 1 still missing after vehicle is swallowed by peat bog

The bodies of three U.S. Army soldiers who went missing in Lithuania during a training exercise last week have been found, and a fourth remains missing, military officials said Monday.

The soldiers went missing the morning of March 25 after their M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicle became submerged in a peat bog during a mission to repair and tow an immobilized tactical vehicle.

The identities of the soldiers, who were all from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, are being withheld pending family notification, the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Public Affairs Office said.

Search and recovery operations are ongoing for the remaining fourth soldier.

The soldiers had been deployed to Lithuania in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, and were permanently stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, military officials said. Lithuanian armed forces and law enforcement worked alongside them during last week’s training exercise.

Their 63-ton armored vehicle was removed from the peat bog early Monday morning after an arduous six-day effort.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Army said hundreds of soldiers and law enforcement personnel, American and Lithuanian, scoured the thick forest and swampy terrain to find the missing soldiers.

The recovery effort required specialized equipment to stabilize the soft ground in the area. The effort included Lithuanian military helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, as well as excavators, sluice and slurry pumps, and several hundred tons of gravel and earth.

“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,” Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, said in a statement.

“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,” the statement said.

The U.S. Army and Lithuanian authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.

Lithuania is a former Soviet republic and a member of NATO since 2004. Since 2014, it has hosted hundreds of U.S. troops as part of Operation “Atlantic Resolve,” which began after Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine.

This is a breaking story. Please return for updates.

Source: NBC News