(NewsNation) — Three of the four American Army soldiers who went missing in Lithuania last week were found dead, the country’s president, Gitanas Nausėda, said Monday.
A search-and-rescue operation will continue until the fourth soldier is found, Nausėda said.
“The Soldiers we have lost in this tragedy were not just Soldiers — they were a part of our family. Our hearts are heavy with a sorrow that echoes across the whole Marne Division, both forward and at home,” Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division, said in a statement. “We stand in grief with the families and loved ones of these extraordinary ‘Dogface Soldiers’ during this unimaginable time. But the search isn’t finished until everyone is home.”
The soldiers, who are based out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, were conducting a training mission when they went missing on March 25. Their vehicle, an M88 Hercules, was recovered from a peat bog after a six-day search.
“Lithuania mourns together with the American nation,” Nausėda said in a tweet. “Please accept my heartfelt condolences, as well as those of the Lithuanian people, to you, the loved ones of those who lost their lives, and all the people of the United States of America. During this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with you.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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