Lithuania: M88 Hercules Panzer-three US soldiers dead

When looking for the US soldiers in Lithuania, who have been missing for days, there is now certainty: Three of the four soldiers are dead. This was announced by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda on Monday on platform X.

“With deep grief and great regret, I received the news of the tragic loss of three US soldiers during a military exercise in Lithuania. He continued to write to US President Donald Trump: “Lithuania mourns the loss of the American nation.”

Also Dan Driscoll, United States Secretary of the Army, wrote down: “With deep regret, I share the heartbreaking news of the loss of three brave soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, who tragically lost their lives in a vehicle recovery mission in Lithuania. We will not rest until the fourth and last soldier was found.”

The rescue workers had previously succeeded in recovering the military vehicle of the four missing US soldiers in the mud in the mud. According to Lithuania’s Minister of Defense Dovile Sakaliene, the almost 70 -ton of tons could be lifted from a swampy water on the military training area in Pabrade on Monday night with the help of mountains and other heavy equipment. It initially remained unclear whether the missing soldiers are in the vehicle.

Lithuania’s army chief Raimundas Vaiksnoras also confirmed the recovery of the M88 Hercules Mountain Contrant to the US Army. “The salvage was completed at 4.30 a.m.,” said Sakaliene in the Lithuanian radio. Previously, two ropes were attached to the tank by divers on Sunday evening to pull it out of the mud. According to Sakalien, two mountains and two Bulldozer were used for anchoring.

In order to get the tank, which was almost five meters deep and below the waterline, the helpers had to dry the swampy area at the point. They pumped water and mud for days after the swamp -like floor around the rescue location had been stabilized with poured gravel and sand. However, there were always setbacks – so the salvage campaign was thrown back on Sunday by a landslide.

From the Lithuanian side, there was initially no information on whether the soldiers were inside the secure vehicle. Sakaliene said that the military police and US investigators are currently on site. Further information could only be given by the US Army, emphasized the Minister of Defense.

The four US soldiers have been missing since last Tuesday. After an exercise, in which, according to US information, they carried out a planned tactical training, they were no longer found. The Lithuanian military and the police then started a joint search with the US military. This finally led to the location of her tank in a water on the practice area. Pabrade is located on the NATO-East flank not far from the border with Belarus.

Hundreds of soldiers and rescue workers were involved in the large -scale commitment. The work was supported by a unity of the Polish army. The sympathy in Lithuania is also high: In Vilnius’ cathedral, there was a joint prayer for the missing soldiers on Sunday. Soldiers from the Bundeswehr also took part in the public service who are stationed in the Catholic Baltic State.

Note: This article has been updated several times.