Four U.S. Army soldiers have gone missing during a training exercise in Lithuania, prompting an extensive search operation.

The soldiers were last seen with an M88 Hercules vehicle, which was later found submerged in a bog near Pabrade, close to the Belarus border.

This incident raises concerns about the safety of U.S. personnel stationed abroad, particularly in Eastern Europe amid escalating regional tensions.

On March 26, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced the soldiers' deaths, but later clarified that their fate remains uncertain.

Despite some mud being removed, continuous inflow from a nearby lake complicates the recovery efforts.

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė reported that rescuers are facing challenges in recovering the vehicle, which is located over 15 feet deep in mud.

While there are positive signs during the rescue operations, the minister cautioned that there is no guarantee the soldiers were inside the vehicle when it submerged.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas visited the site, expressing hope for the soldiers' safe return and support for the ongoing rescue efforts.

Local officials are coordinating closely with U.S. military personnel, with U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor expressing gratitude for the support of Lithuanian forces.

The search for the missing soldiers is ongoing, with updates expected as new information becomes available.

Excavation work has commenced at the incident site after water levels were sufficiently lowered, yet visual contact with the vehicle remains elusive.

The soldiers are part of a battalion that has been stationed in Lithuania since 2019, a deployment strengthened by NATO in response to concerns over Russian aggression.