Bodies of three of four missing US soldiers found in Lithuania

The U.S. military announced Monday that three of the four U.S. soldiers who went missing in Lithuania last week were found dead.

Rescue teams found the soldiers' armored vehicle submerged in a swamp in eastern Lithuania, at a depth of about 4.5 meters under water and mud.

The U.S. military stated that search efforts are ongoing for the fourth soldier who remains missing.

"It is with deep sorrow that I share the heartbreaking news of the loss of three brave soldiers from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, who tragically lost their lives during a vehicle recovery mission in Lithuania. We will not rest until we find and bring home the fourth and final soldier," U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll posted on X.

The soldiers had been in Lithuania for two months, participating in a military exercise at a training camp in Pabrade, a town near the Belarusian border.

Driscoll expressed deep gratitude "to the U.S. soldiers and sailors, as well as our dedicated allies in Lithuania and Poland, for their unwavering commitment to finding our fallen servicemen."

Lithuania, a NATO and EU member, hosts over 1,000 U.S. troops on rotational deployments.