Remains of US soldier recovered from Atlantic Ocean in Morocco military exercise, second missing

(SeaPRwire) –   Military officials have confirmed that the remains of a U.S. Army officer who disappeared during training exercises in Morocco have been retrieved from the Atlantic Ocean, while efforts to locate a second soldier remain ongoing.

U.S. Army Europe and Africa stated on Sunday that the body of 27-year-old 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. of Richmond, Virginia, was recovered on Saturday. Key, an Air Defense Artillery officer, was one of two soldiers who reportedly fell from a cliff while on an off-duty hike near the Cap Draa Training Area on May 2.

According to the Army, a Moroccan search team discovered Key’s remains in the water along the coast at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time Saturday, about one mile from the site where the two soldiers were believed to have entered the water.

“Today, we mourn the loss of 1st Lt. Kendrick Key, whose remains were recovered in Morocco,” said Brig. Gen. Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. “Our hearts are with his family, friends, teammates, and all who knew and served alongside him. The 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command family is grieving, and we will continue to support one another and 1st Lt. Key’s family as we honor his life and service.”

Key and the other soldier were reported missing on May 2 while taking part in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise held across Senegal, Ghana, Tunisia, and Morocco.

Moroccan military authorities reported that the two went missing around 9 p.m. near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan, a region characterized by desert, mountains, and semi-desert plains.

The search-and-rescue operation for the pair involved over 600 personnel from the U.S., Morocco, and other partner nations, utilizing drones, helicopters, and ships.

The search for the second soldier is continuing.

A U.S. team has stayed in Morocco following the conclusion of the exercises on Friday to maintain command and control and assist with the ongoing search efforts.

The Army noted that Key was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.

His military honors include the Army Service Ribbon and the Army Achievement Medal.

Key joined the military in 2023 as an officer candidate, receiving his commission the following year through Officer Candidate School. He subsequently finished the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

He is survived by his sister, brother-in-law, and parents.

African Lion 24 is a U.S.-led exercise that commenced in April across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal, involving more than 5,600 military and civilian personnel from over 40 countries.

It stands as the largest U.S. joint military exercise on the African continent, a status it has held for more than two decades.

In 2012, an MV-22 Osprey crash near Cap Draa during the African Lion exercise resulted in the deaths of two U.S. Marines and injuries to two others.