VILNIUS COUNTY, Lithuania — The bodies of three of the four soldiers who were operating in an armored vehicle that sank into a mud sinkhole in a bog in Lithuania have been recovered, the Secretary of the Army announced Monday.
“It is with profound sorrow that I share the heartbreaking news of the loss of three brave soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, who tragically lost their lives during a vehicle recovery mission in Lithuania,” a statement by Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll said.
The 3rd Infantry Division is based out of Fort Stewart in Georgia. The fourth solider has not been found; the statement said, “We will not rest until the fourth and final soldier is found and brought home.”
The soldiers have not been identified. The wife of one of the soldiers, 25-year-old Sgt. Edvin Franco, spoke to 11Alive’s Cody Alcorn and identified him. The wife, Georgia Franco, said her husband has been a tank mechanic stationed at Fort Stewart since joining the Army in 2018.
It’s unclear if Sgt. Franco was among the three soldiers recovered Monday.
The soldiers went missing the morning of March 25. Their vehicle was then located submerged in a mix of mud, water and silt in a forested area near Lithuania’s border with Belarus.
The nature of the vehicle recovery mission was not detailed by Sec. Driscoll. The soldiers were originally said to be conducting scheduled tactical training in the area.
“No words can truly capture the pain of this loss, but my deepest condolences go out to the families, friends and fellow soldiers mourning their heroes,” Driscoll said.
Recovery efforts have included digging and pumping to clear the site and dive teams have also been deployed at the site. The M88 Hercules the soldiers were operating in was estimated at one point to be about four meters (roughly 13 feet) below the surface.
Cold, rain, mud, water – none of those things will stop us from bringing our Soldiers home. Together with our Lithuanian and Polish Allies, we will do this. #WeWillNotRest #StrongerTogether #WeAreNATO
Posted by U.S. Army Europe and Africa on Saturday, March 29, 2025
U.S. Army Europe and Africa said hundreds of rescue workers and soldiers have been on site in the recovery efforts. That has included soldiers from Lithuania and Poland.
On Sunday morning, U.S. Army Europe and Africa said servicemen attended a mass in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, for the missing soldiers
“Our worst fear as a military spouse is getting a knock on your door,” Georgia Franco said, adding that she’s had “overwhelming” support from crisis teams and chaplains.
Georgia Franco added, “We want them back to us so we can have our closure, no matter what the outcome is.”
