Nato backtracks on claims four missing US soldiers were found dead

Nato was forced into a U-turn after four US Army soldiers on a training exercise in Lithuania were falsely declared dead.

A major search and rescue operation has been ongoing since Tuesday to find the group who vanished near the border with Belarus with a Hercules armoured vehicle.

The vehicle was discovered submerged in a body of water, but there was no trace of the troops.

Nato secretary general Mark Rutte had confirmed that they had died, but his comments were later retracted.

‘The search is ongoing,’ said a statement posted on X on Wednesday. ‘We regret any confusion about remarks Rutte delivered on this today.

‘He was referring to emerging news reports and was not confirming the fate of the missing, which is still unknown.’

‘The M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle the four missing US Soldiers were operating during a training exercise has been located in Lithuania,’ stated the US Army.

No bodies have been discovered, according to Lithuania’s defence minister Dovile Sakaliene, who visited the training site on Wednesday.

The US embassy in Vilnius said that the troops vanished in the area of the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground near the city of Pabrade, but did not confirm when it happened.

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

‘Search and recovery efforts are underway.’

Helicopters from Lithuania’s Air Force and the State Border Guard Service have been searching the area since yesterday.

Authorities have identified a possible location of the incident and a force has been deployed to search for them.

The city of Pabrade is only about seven miles from the border with Belarus and has previously hosted large-scale Nato military drills to strengthen the Baltic borders.

President Gitanas Nausėda and prime minister Gintautas Paluckas said they were constantly receiving information about the operation.

But it is understood that the US and Lithuanian militaries have requested that no more information is released about the incident.

Fifth Corps Commander, Lieutenant General Charles Costanza, said in a statement: ‘I would like to personally thank the Lithuanian military and first responders who quickly assisted us in the search operations.

‘It is this kind of teamwork and support that demonstrates the importance of our partnership and humanity, regardless of what flags we carry on our shoulders.’

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