NATO clarifies: American soldiers missing, not confirmed dead
NATO refutes comments made by Mark Rutte, who reported that American soldiers died in Lithuania. "The search is ongoing," stated a NATO spokesperson in a release.
What you need to know
- Disappearance of US soldiers: Four American soldiers are missing during exercises in Lithuania. Their armored vehicle, a Hercules, was found submerged in a body of water.
- NATO's response: NATO issued a statement addressing the comments made by Secretary General Mark Rutte.
- Rescue operations: The US Army, Lithuanian armed forces, and civilian agencies are conducting intensive rescue operations to locate the soldiers.
What did NATO's Secretary General say?
During his visit to Warsaw, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated: "Whist I was speaking the news came out about four American soldiers who were killed in an incident in Lithuania." He added that he does not have details about the incident.
NATO released a statement clarifying the Secretary General's remarks.
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"The search continues," said the NATO release, emphasizing that the fate of the soldiers remains unknown. "We regret any confusion about remarks @SecGenNATO delivered on this today," it added.
Earlier, the US Army Command in Europe and Africa also contradicted the Secretary General's remarks. It stated the US Army is "unable to confirm the deaths of the missing soldiers at this time."
NATO's actions and unconfirmed information regarding the soldiers
The US Army, along with the Lithuanian armed forces and civilian agencies, is conducting intensive rescue operations. The armored vehicle, a Hercules, that the soldiers were traveling in was found submerged in a body of water at the training ground in Pabradė.
Lithuanian news portals—without citing any official sources—reported that the missing soldiers are deceased and that their tracked vehicle, found in the swamps, was submerged in water.
The Associated Press emphasizes that there has been no official confirmation that these soldiers are deceased.
