VILNIUS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Poland is sending several dozen soldiers with heavy equipment to Lithuania to help with an ongoing search and rescue operation for four U.S. troops who went missing in Pabrade in eastern Lithuania, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Thursday afternoon.

"Poland is sending a group of soldiers with engineering equipment to Lithuania to assist in the search and rescue operation. We thank our allies for the solidarity they have shown in a difficult time," the ministry said in a Facebook post.

The search and rescue operation was launched on March 25 to recover four U.S. service members and a tracked vehicle that went missing in the General Silvestras Zukauskas Training Area in Pabrade during a training exercise.

The ongoing mission is being carried out by Lithuanian and foreign military personnel, the Lithuanian Air Force and State Border Guard helicopters, and Fire and Rescue Department.

According to a statement released by the U.S. Army on Wednesday, the tracked vehicle the soldiers had been operating was found submerged in a swamp.

However, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene visited the training site late on Wednesday and said that no bodies had been found. An investigation has been launched into the soldiers' disappearance. Enditem

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