NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced on Wednesday that four American soldiers, who went missing in Lithuania during military exercises, have been confirmed dead, reports RFE.
The U.S. Army in Europe and Africa previously stated in a communiqué that the soldiers were “conducting planned tactical exercises” when they disappeared on Tuesday.
They went missing after an exercise at Lithuania’s Pabrade training center, located about 10 kilometers from the Belarusian border.
“As I was speaking, the news came through that four American soldiers were killed in an incident in Lithuania,” Rutte told reporters during a visit to Warsaw on Wednesday.
The NATO chief said he had no further details regarding the incident.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Lithuanian Army reported that the soldiers’ disappearance was reported at 16:45 local time on March 25, and the official notification reached authorities in Vilnius by 19:20.
A search operation has begun, involving military personnel, rescue services, and firefighters. The Lithuanian police have also launched an investigation.
