Two bodies found and eight illegal migrants detained in Vilkaviškis district forest

On April 30, 2026 at about 8:17AM local time, authorities found the bodies of a man and woman aged approximately 30-35 years in a forest near Rūkštėnų village, Vilkaviškis district, Lithuania. There were no external signs of violence. At the scene, eight illegal migrants (7 men and 1 woman) without identification documents were detained. Two of the migrants were taken to hospital for examination, six were handed over to the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service. The migrants identified as citizens of Ethiopia, Algeria, Yemen, and Eritrea. VSAT adviser Giedrius Mišutis explained the incident occurred roughly several kilometers from the Polish border, likely indicating migrants were transported close to the border and released to continue on foot towards Poland where traffickers awaited. The event correlates with intensified secondary migration from Latvia to Lithuania, with about 500 such migrants detained over the past four months. Latvia is currently experiencing a large influx of illegal migrants. Lithuanian border guards also reported turning back five migrants on the same day. The cause of death of the two deceased remains under investigation, with authorities collecting evidence. The incident highlights ongoing challenges of secondary migration via Lithuania and Poland.