Remains of 2nd US soldier missing in Morocco recovered

The remains of the second U.S. Army soldier who went missing during military exercises in Morocco have been recovered, concluding a large-scale multinational search operation. Specialist Mariyah Symone Collington, 19, was identified after falling off a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike alongside 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., whose remains were recovered days earlier. Both soldiers were participating in African Lion 26, an annual U.S.-led multinational exercise involving more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 countries across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal. Collington served as an air and missile defense crewmember with Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, based in Ansbach, Germany. She joined the Army’s Delayed Entry Program in 2023 and began active duty in 2024, completing training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Her remains were transported by the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces to the Moulay El Hassan Military Hospital in Guelmim, Morocco, before being sent to the United States. The search operation involved extensive cooperation between U.S. and Moroccan military and civilian personnel, deploying advanced assets such as a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, thermal and ISR sensors, underwater vehicles, and sonar equipment. The incident remains under investigation by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, as authorities seek to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the soldiers’ disappearance on May 2. African Lion is a critical exercise designed to enhance interoperability and readiness among participating nations, reflecting ongoing U.S. military engagement in Africa and the region. The tragic loss of these soldiers highlights the inherent risks of military operations and off-duty activities during such multinational training events. Previous incidents during African Lion exercises, including a fatal helicopter crash in 2012, underscore the challenges of conducting complex operations in diverse environments.