The remains of two U.S. Army soldiers who went missing during a recreational hike in Morocco have been recovered.
The soldiers were identified as 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. and Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington. Both were participating in the multinational African Lion training exercise.
The Incident
The two soldiers were reported missing on May 2, 2025, after they did not return from an off-duty recreational hike near the Cap Draa Training Area in Tan-Tan, Morocco.
According to a preliminary report, the soldiers were part of a group hiking to watch a sunset. One soldier, who could not swim, fell into the water. The second soldier jumped in to attempt a rescue but was hit by a wave. Other soldiers reportedly attempted a rescue but were unsuccessful. The incident remains under investigation.
Recovery Operations
First Soldier
The remains of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. were recovered on Saturday, May 9, at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time by a Moroccan military search team. The body was found along the shoreline within one mile (1.6 km) of where the soldiers disappeared.
Second Soldier
The remains of Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington were recovered on Tuesday. Her body was found in a coastal cave approximately 500 meters from where the two soldiers entered the water. The recovery operation involved challenging ocean conditions and terrain. Her remains were transported by helicopter from the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces to Moulay El Hassan Military Hospital in Guelmim.
Search Efforts
The multinational search operation involved over 1,000 U.S. and Moroccan military and civil personnel. Assets used included:
- P-8 Poseidon aircraft
- Unmanned aerial systems
- Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft
- Boats and dive teams
- Unmanned underwater vehicles
- Side-scan sonar and drift modeling
- Mountaineering teams and ground search elements
- Thermal and ISR sensors
The search covered more than 8,200 square miles. A U.S. contingent remained in Morocco to support the operations.
Soldiers' Background
1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., 27, was from Richmond, Virginia. He served as an air defense artillery officer assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. He joined the battalion in 2025 and became a platoon leader. Key entered service in 2023 as an officer candidate and was commissioned in 2024. He held a Bachelor of Science in marketing from Methodist University. His awards include the Army Achievement Medal and Army Service Ribbon.
Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington, 19, was from Tavares, Florida. She was an air and missile defense crewmember assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. She entered the Army's Delayed Entry Program in 2023, began active duty in 2024, and was promoted to specialist on May 1, 2026. Her awards include the Army Service Ribbon.
African Lion Exercise
The soldiers were participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise led by U.S. Africa Command. The 2025 exercise (African Lion 26) began in April and took place across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal, involving over 7,000 personnel from more than 30 nations. The exercise concluded on May 9.
Next Steps
The remains of both soldiers are being transported to the United States by the U.S. Air Force. The Army stated that Key's remains are being repatriated from Morocco.
U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa expressed condolences. The circumstances of the incident remain under investigation.