Search for US soldiers in Lithuania after swamp find

The military search and rescue operation has been ongoing since Tuesday, after the soldiers and their vehicle went missing at Pabrade training ground, about 15km from Belarus.

Battalions of US soldiers have been based in the military camp since 2019, in rotations. Lithuanian Foreign Affairs Minister Kestutis Budrys told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday his country is ready to host more US troops.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said earlier on Wednesday the soldiers had died but that he did not know any details.

A NATO spokesperson later said Rutte was not confirming the fate of the missing.

Lithuania's military wrote on social media X that it was continuing an "intensive" rescue operation and had no information confirming the deaths.

Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene, who visited the training site late on Wednesday, said no bodies had been found.

"That's why it would be wrong to say that the soldiers are dead," she told reporters.

The search was expected to continue through the night, the US and Lithuanian armies said. 

Lithuanian Chief of Defence Raimundas Vaiksnoras said the rescuers are looking into how fast the swampy location could be drained.

"You all know how important is the presence of US troops in Lithuania. Their soldiers are like our soldiers to us. So we spare no effort to find them," Vaiksnoras said.

Lithuania has launched an investigation into the soldiers' disappearance.

The soldiers, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were conducting scheduled tactical training at the time of the incident, the US Army said earlier.

The US Army said it was keeping families of the soldiers informed about the search efforts.

"The search & rescue mission in Pabrade for missing US soldiers is ongoing," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda posted on social media.

"Until they are found - staying hopeful, standing with their families, brothers in arms, and all those out there searching."

with AP