Four US army soldiers disappear during training mission in Europe
Four US Army soldiers have disappeared during a military exercise near Lithuania’s border with Belarus.
A major search and rescue operation is ongoing to find the group, involving the Baltic nation’s military and police and the American military.
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.
One tracked vehicle has also been established to be missing.
‘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.
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