Remains of US soldier who went missing during military exercises in Morocco have been recovered
CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — The remains of a U.S. Army soldier who disappeared during military exercises in Morocco a week ago have been found in the Atlantic Ocean, the U.S. military said Sunday. Military teams’ search efforts for the second missing soldier continue.
The remains found are those of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 14A Air Defense Artillery officer who was one of two U.S. soldiers who fell off a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike in Morocco. He was 27 years old.
The two were reported missing on May 2 after participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise held in Morocco.
“A Moroccan military search team located the Soldier in the water along the shoreline at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time on May 9, approximately one mile from where both Soldiers reportedly entered the ocean,” U.S. Army Europe and Africa said in a statement. he said.
According to the Moroccan military, the duo went missing around 9pm near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan, which is characterized by mountains, desert and semi-desert plains.
Their disappearance triggered a search and rescue operation involving more than 600 personnel from the United States, Morocco and other military partners. Frigates, ships, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles were used in the operation.
The search for the second missing soldier will continue, a U.S. defense official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak publicly about the matter.
A U.S. contingent remains in Morocco to maintain command and control and continue search and rescue operations after the multinational war games end on Friday, the official said.
Key was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing with minors in international business, entrepreneurship and business administration from Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He entered military service as an officer candidate in 2023 and started his career as an Air Defense Artillery officer through Officer Candidate School in 2024. He later completed the Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, according to the release.
The search-and-rescue operation, now in its ninth day, has covered more than 12,000 square kilometers of sea and coastal territory, with around 3,000 square kilometers being added per day.
The soldiers were participating in the U.S.-led African Lion 26 exercise, which launched in four countries — Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal — in April, with more than 7,000 personnel from more than 30 countries participating. It was the largest joint US military exercise in Africa since 2004.
In 2012, two US Marines died and two soldiers were injured in a helicopter crash that occurred while participating in exercises in the southern Moroccan city of Agadir.
