NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg initially stated that four U.S. service members died during a training operation. Nevertheless, NATO subsequently corrected this information, noting that the soldiers remain unaccounted for and their status continues to be uncertain.
On Wednesday, after reports emerged stating that four U.S. soldiers lost their lives during a training exercise near the Lithuanian-Belarusian border, NATO stated that these claims were unconfirmed.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated on Wednesday that the four soldiers died "in an incident in Lithuania." Nevertheless, NATO subsequently mentioned that the US military had not verified any fatalities.
NATO stated in an announcement made on X that the search continues. They expressed their regret over any misunderstandings regarding comments [Rutte] made earlier today. His reference was toward new information circulating but did not confirm the status of those who remain unaccounted for, as their situation remains uncertain.
The U.S. military has verified that the vehicle carrying the soldiers was discovered underwater in a body of water; however, rescue operations are continuing.
Earlier, Lithuania's military stated that they were looking for the soldiers, who were reported as missing on Tuesday afternoon.
Search ongoing
On Thursday, Lithuania’s Defense Ministry stated that a search was continuing and “every scenario is under consideration.”
"Currently, there is no verified data, nor have any remains been discovered. Hence, it would be entirely inaccurate to assert that the soldiers are deceased," stated Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene.
The US Army stated that the soldiers were engaged in "planned tactical exercises when the incident occurred."
The four soldiers belonging to the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division were conducting exercises inside an armored Hercules vehicle that had been reclaimed.
Both Lithuanian and international forces employed military helicopters in the hunt for the missing soldiers, receiving support from officials of the State Border Guard Service.
Lieutenant General Charles Costanza, commanding officer of V Corps, stated, "I want to extend my personal gratitude to the Lithuanian military forces and emergency responders who promptly assisted us with our search efforts."
Lithuania, which is part of both NATO and the EU, accommodates over 1,000 American soldiers who are deployed within its borders on a rotating schedule.
Correction: A previous iteration of this piece mistakenly reported that the U.S. military had confirmed the deaths of American soldiers during training exercises in Lithuania. The update now includes NATO’s statement that the status of the individuals who went missing remains uncertain. We regret the mistake.
Edited by: Wesley Rahn, Wesley Dockery
Author: Jon Shelton (alongside contributions from AP, AFP, dpa, and Reuters)