NATO: They died; The search for the bodies is underway

The soldiers went missing on Tuesday, the military said, and the M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle the soldiers were using at the time was found submerged in water in the training area on Wednesday.

“The vehicle was discovered submerged in a body of water in a training area after a search by US Army, Lithuanian Armed Forces and other Lithuanian authorities,” the statement on Wednesday said. “Recovery efforts are underway by US Army and Lithuanian Armed Forces and civilian agencies.”

"Most likely, the M88 ran into a swamp," said Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė.

"It has the capacity to swallow large objects ... this vehicle, weighing up to 70 tons, may have just gone diagonally to the bottom. The vehicle could be 5 meters below the surface," Šakalienė said.

"Hundreds of people are working around the clock - the US armed forces, our rescue services and private companies," Šakalienė said.

"We have helicopters in the air, divers, firefighters, trenchers - hundreds and hundreds of people. Our army divers are there, but even they are struggling," she said.

"We've narrowed down the location... but we still have to dig. We brought in a huge long-range excavator and a ditch cleaner to move the silt and water. Then we have to hook the vehicle, pull it out and see if there are bodies inside."

Dovilė Šakalienė said Lithuanians will remain committed to finding the bodies.

"Working with American soldiers has always been close to our hearts. They are not just allies - they are our family," she said.