US Soldier’s Body Recovered in Morocco After Cliff Fall During African Lion Exercise
The U.S. Army confirmed the recovery of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr.’s remains from the Atlantic Ocean off Morocco’s coast. Key disappeared on May 2 after falling from a cliff during an off-duty hike near the Cap Draa Training Area, while participating in the African Lion multinational exercise. A second soldier remains missing despite a massive joint search involving over 600 personnel from the U.S., Morocco, and partner nations. The incident highlights operational risks during large-scale military drills, prompting ongoing rescue efforts and mourning within the military community.
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Remains of Missing US Soldier Recovered Off Morocco Coast After Week-Long Search
The remains of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 27-year-old US Army Air Defense Artillery officer, were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco following an extensive week-long search operation. Lt. Key and another soldier went missing after falling off a cliff during a recreational hike while off-duty from the annual African Lion multinational military exercises. The disappearance triggered a massive joint search and rescue effort involving over 600 personnel from the United States, Morocco, and allied nations, utilizing frigates, ships, helicopters, and drones. A Moroccan military search team located Lt. Key’s body in the water near the shoreline on May 9, approximately one mile from where the soldiers entered the ocean. US military officials, including Brig. Gen. Curtis King and Lt. Col. Chris Couch, issued statements mourning the loss and honoring Lt. Key as a selfless and inspirational leader. The incident highlights the risks associated with military deployments even during non-combat activities, drawing significant attention to the cooperation between US and Moroccan forces during the recovery mission.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish WorldRemains of U.S. Soldier Missing During Morocco Exercises Recovered
The U.S. Army confirmed the recovery of the remains of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 27-year-old Air Defence Artillery officer who went missing during military exercises in Morocco. Key and another soldier fell off a cliff into the Atlantic Ocean while on a recreational hike near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan on May 2, 2026. The incident occurred after their participation in African Lion 26, a major multinational military exercise. A Moroccan military search team located Key’s body along the shoreline on May 9, approximately one mile from where the soldiers entered the water. Search operations involving over 600 personnel from the United States, Morocco, and partner nations, utilizing frigates, helicopters, and drones, continue for the second missing soldier. A U.S. contingent has remained in Morocco post-exercise to support ongoing rescue efforts. African Lion 26, led by the U.S., involved more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 countries across four African nations. This tragedy recalls a 2012 incident where two U.S. Marines died in a helicopter crash during similar exercises in Agadir.
News Today: Breaking News, Top Headlines & Live Updates | The HinduRemains of Missing US Soldier Recovered in Morocco
The remains of a United States soldier who had been reported missing in Morocco were successfully recovered from the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday. The deceased service member has been officially identified as First Lieutenant Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a native of Richmond, Virginia. This identification was confirmed by U.S. Army Europe and Africa. According to available reports, Lieutenant Key fell off a cliff while participating in a recreational hike during his off-duty time. The incident highlights the risks associated with outdoor activities in rugged terrains, even for trained military personnel. The recovery operation marks the conclusion of the search efforts for the missing soldier. This tragic event underscores the ongoing presence of U.S. military personnel in the region and the occasional dangers they face outside of combat operations. The U.S. Army is likely conducting further reviews or providing support to the family of the deceased officer. The incident occurred in Morocco, a key strategic partner of the United States in North Africa, where American forces often engage in joint training exercises and cooperative security initiatives.
Just In NewsBody of US Soldier Missing During Morocco Training Exercise Recovered
The remains of First Lieutenant Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 27-year-old U.S. Army officer, have been recovered from the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco. Key went missing on May 2 after falling from a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike near the Cap Draa Training Area, outside Tan-Tan. He was participating in African Lion, a large-scale annual multinational military exercise. His disappearance, along with that of a second serviceman who remains missing, triggered a massive search-and-rescue operation involving over 600 personnel from the United States, Morocco, and other partner nations. The search utilized frigates, vessels, helicopters, and drones. Moroccan military teams found Key’s body approximately one mile from where the soldiers entered the water. While the main phase of the exercise has concluded, U.S. forces remain in the region to support ongoing search efforts for the second missing soldier. This incident highlights the risks associated with military training operations in rugged terrains. African Lion is the largest U.S. joint military exercise in Africa, involving thousands of personnel from over 30 nations across multiple countries.
The Independent WorldRemains of US Soldier Recovered in Morocco; Second Soldier Still Missing After Cliff Fall
The remains of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 27-year-old U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery officer, have been recovered in Morocco after he and another soldier fell off a cliff during a recreational hike. The incident occurred on May 2 near the Cap Draa Training Area, shortly after both soldiers participated in the African Lion multinational war games. A Moroccan military search team located Key’s body in the water along the shoreline on May 9, approximately one mile from where the soldiers reportedly entered the ocean. The second soldier remains missing despite an extensive search-and-rescue operation involving 600 personnel, frigates, helicopters, and drones. The search has covered over 12,000 square kilometers of sea and shore. The African Lion exercise, which involves more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 nations, was halted following the disappearance. This tragedy marks another incident associated with the long-standing military drill, which previously saw fatalities in 2012. Key, a Virginia native and Methodist University graduate, had begun his military career in 2023.
New York PostRemains of US Soldier Missing During Morocco Exercises Recovered from Atlantic Ocean
The remains of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 27-year-old U.S. Army officer, have been recovered from the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco. Key went missing on May 2, 2026, after falling off a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan. He was participating in African Lion 2026, a large-scale multinational military exercise involving over 7,000 personnel from more than 30 nations. A Moroccan military search team discovered his body approximately one mile from where he and another soldier entered the water. The second soldier remains missing, and search-and-rescue operations involving over 600 personnel from the United States, Morocco, and partner nations continue. The operation utilized frigates, helicopters, and drones. Key, an Air Defense Artillery officer commissioned in 2024, was assigned to the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. This incident highlights the risks associated with military exercises in rugged terrains, recalling a 2012 helicopter crash in Agadir that killed two U.S. Marines during similar drills.
ABC News: Top StoriesBody of US Soldier Missing in Morocco Recovered During African Lion Exercise
The U.S. Army confirmed the recovery of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr.'s body in Morocco, one week after he went missing during the African Lion 26 multinational military exercise. Key, a 27-year-old platoon leader from Richmond, Virginia, serving with the 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, disappeared on May 2 following an incident on ocean-side cliffs near Cap Draa. Reports indicate that three soldiers were involved in the mishap; one fell into the water, and two others, including Key, dove in to attempt a rescue. Only one soldier survived the initial incident. A massive search operation involving over 1,000 U.S., Moroccan, and French military and civilian personnel utilized aircraft and ships to locate the missing troops. Key's remains were found approximately one mile from the site where the soldiers entered the water. While Brig. Gen. Curtis King and Lt. Col. Chris Couch honored Key as a selfless and inspirational leader, the search for the second missing soldier continues. American personnel remain stationed in the area to support ongoing recovery efforts for the remaining missing service member.
Task & PurposeU.S. Army Recovers Body of Missing Soldier in Morocco
The U.S. Army announced the recovery of First Lieutenant Lamont Key Jr.'s body in Morocco, marking a somber development in the search for two American soldiers who went missing on May 2. Key, a 27-year-old air defense artillery officer from Richmond, Virginia, was found by Moroccan military teams along the shoreline near the Cap Draa Training Area. The incident occurred during the annual African Lion training exercise, though officials stated it was unrelated to the event itself. Preliminary reports indicate that the tragedy began when a soldier unable to swim fell into the water while watching the sunset. A second serviceman jumped in to attempt a rescue but was struck by a wave. Despite efforts by other personnel, both men were swept away. While Key's remains have been recovered approximately one mile from where they vanished, the second soldier remains missing, and search operations are ongoing. Brigadier Gen. Curtis King expressed deep mourning for Key, offering condolences to his family and colleagues within the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. The U.S. military continues to support the grieving community as investigations into the specific circumstances surrounding the drowning proceed.
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