US soldier missing in Morocco found in Atlantic after African Lion exercise

The US Army said it recovered the remains of a soldier missing in Morocco. The search continued for a second missing soldier. The two soldiers disappeared after taking part in African Lion. They fell from a cliff during an off-duty hike. The army said the remains were found in the Atlantic Ocean.

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The recovered remains were identified as 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. Key was a 14A Air Defence Artillery officer. Key was 27 years old. The army said Key was one of two soldiers who entered the ocean. The incident happened during free time away from duty.

African Lion military exercise and Morocco search

A Moroccan military search team found the Soldier in the water along the shoreline at approximately 8:55 am local time May 9, within roughly one mile of where both Soldiers reportedly entered the ocean, US Army Europe and Africa said in a statement. The two were reported missing May 2 after taking part in African Lion, an annual multinational exercise held in Morocco.

The soldiers went missing around 9 pm near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan. The Moroccan military described the area as mountainous, with desert and semi-desert plains. After the report, search teams began a large rescue effort. More than 600 personnel joined from the United States, Morocco, and other partners.

The search-and-rescue operation used frigates, other vessels, helicopters, and drones. Military teams remained active after the first recovery. A US defence official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The official said continued work was under way to locate the second missing soldier.

African Lion exercise support and US Army presence

The US defence official said a US contingent stayed in Morocco after the war games ended Friday. The official said the group provided command and control support. The official said the team also kept the rescue mission running. The army did not name the second missing soldier in its updates.

The army said Key was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defence Artillery Regiment. The unit is part of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. The army listed Key’s awards as the Army Achievement Medal and Army Service Ribbon. The statement also outlined Key’s training and service record.

According to the army, Key entered military service in 2023 as an officer candidate. Key earned a commission in 2024 through Officer Candidate School. Key qualified as an Air Defence Artillery officer. Key later completed the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the statement said.

African Lion history and earlier Morocco incident

African Lion 26 is a US-led exercise launched in April across four countries. The countries were Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal. The drills involved more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 nations. Since 2004, African Lion has been the largest US joint military exercise in Africa.

The exercise has seen past accidents during training periods. In 2012, two US Marines were killed in Morocco during the drills. Two other Marines were injured in the same incident. The crash involved a helicopter near the southern city of Agadir. The army’s latest statement focused on recovery and ongoing searches.

The army said the recovery confirmed the identity of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. Search teams kept working for the second missing soldier. The US defence official said US personnel remained on the ground to support the operation. Officials said the incident followed an off-duty hike near Tan-Tan during African Lion.

With inputs from PTI