NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that four U.S. soldiers have died in Lithuania during military training, but the U.S. Army and local authorities claim the rescue operation is still underway.
The U.S. said in a statement that the soldiers, operating a military vehicle, went missing on Tuesday in a training area near Pabradė in eastern Lithuania, near the border with Belarus.
A rescue mission involving helicopters and the border guards was launched the same day, according to the Lithuanian armed forces.
“Whilst I was speaking the news came out about four American soldiers who were killed in an incident in Lithuania,” Reuters reported Rutte as saying, adding that he did not know any details.
But Lithuanian Defense Minister Defense Dovilė Šakalienė told Lithuania’s national broadcaster LRT at the scene of the incident on Wednesday evening that there is no official confirmation of the deaths of the soldiers.
He said: “The information has not changed, the search and rescue is continuing.”
“As soon as the operation is completed, when we have confirmation of one outcome or another, we will definitely inform everyone," the minister said.
Lithuanian armed forces wrote in a post on X after Rutte’s comment: “At the moment, there is no evidence or information confirming the death of the troops.”
Earlier, the U.S. Army Europe and Africa command said in a press release that the Baltic country's military and police were searching for the missing soldiers together with the U.S. military.
The M88 military vehicle that disappeared along with the soldiers was found submerged in water on Wednesday evening.
"The M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle the four missing U.S. Soldiers were operating during a training exercise has been located in Lithuania," the U.S. Army said in a said in a statement.
The New York Times, citing a U.S. military source stationed in Europe, reported that it is believed the soldiers may have drowned in a swamp.
A rescue mission involving helicopters and the border guards was launched the same day, according to the Lithuanian armed forces.
“Whilst I was speaking the news came out about four American soldiers who were killed in an incident in Lithuania,” Reuters reported Rutte as saying, adding that he did not know any details.
But Lithuanian Defense Minister Defense Dovilė Šakalienė told Lithuania’s national broadcaster LRT at the scene of the incident on Wednesday evening that there is no official confirmation of the deaths of the soldiers.
He said: “The information has not changed, the search and rescue is continuing.”
“As soon as the operation is completed, when we have confirmation of one outcome or another, we will definitely inform everyone," the minister said.
Lithuanian armed forces wrote in a post on X after Rutte’s comment: “At the moment, there is no evidence or information confirming the death of the troops.”
Earlier, the U.S. Army Europe and Africa command said in a press release that the Baltic country's military and police were searching for the missing soldiers together with the U.S. military.
The M88 military vehicle that disappeared along with the soldiers was found submerged in water on Wednesday evening.
"The M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle the four missing U.S. Soldiers were operating during a training exercise has been located in Lithuania," the U.S. Army said in a said in a statement.
The New York Times, citing a U.S. military source stationed in Europe, reported that it is believed the soldiers may have drowned in a swamp.
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