Moroccan and US forces have recovered the body of one of two American soldiers who went missing during the multinational African Lion 2026 military exercise,The Royal Armed Forces said.
The body was located and retrieved on May 9 at around 08:55 am near a cliff at Cap Draa,south of Tan-Tan,following intensive search efforts involving land,air and maritime units,the army said in a statement.
Preliminary identification indicates the soldier was First Lieutenant Kendrick Lamont Key Jr.,whose remains were found along the shoreline about a mile from where the two soldiers were believed to have entered the sea.
The body was transferred by helicopter to the morgue of the Moulay El Hassan Military Hospital in Guelmim pending repatriation. Search operations are continuing for the second missing serviceman.
The two soldiers were reported missing on May 2 near the Cap Draa training area,with initial indications suggesting they may have fallen into the ocean from a coastal cliff while off duty.
The search effort has involved helicopters,ships,divers and specialized rescue teams.
The incident occurred during African Lion 2026,the largest annual U.S.-led military exercise in Africa. Co-organized by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Morocco,the drills ran from April 20 to May 8 bringing together over 5,600 personnel from more than 40 countries.
In Morocco,the exercise included major activities around Agadir and Tan-Tan,featuring live-fire training,air and maritime operations,and advanced technology testing aimed at strengthening interoperability and regional security cooperation.
Officials said efforts remain focused on locating the second missing soldier.
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