US Soldier Missing During Morocco Military Drills Found Dead

The remains of a United States soldier who went missing during multinational military exercises in Morocco have been recovered, while search operations continue for another missing serviceman.

The US Army identified the deceased soldier as 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 27-year-old Air Defense Artillery officer who disappeared on May 2 during the African Lion military exercise in Morocco.

According to US military officials, Key and another soldier reportedly fell from a cliff into the Atlantic Ocean while on a recreational hike near the Cap Draa Training Area outside the city of Tan-Tan after the day’s military activities had ended.

A Moroccan military search team reportedly discovered Key’s remains along the shoreline on May 9, roughly one mile from where the soldiers were believed to have entered the water.

The large-scale search-and-rescue mission has involved hundreds of personnel from the United States, Morocco, and other partner nations participating in the African Lion exercise. Authorities said the operation to locate the second missing soldier is still ongoing.

African Lion is the largest annual military exercise organised by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Africa. The 2026 edition involved more than 7,000 troops from over 30 countries and was conducted across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal.

US Army Europe and Africa described Key as a dedicated officer and platoon leader who joined the military in 2023 before being commissioned through Officer Candidate School in 2024.

The incident remains under investigation.