Remains of US soldier who went missing in Morocco have been recovered
NPR • • nation
Key Points:
- The remains of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a U.S. soldier who went missing during military exercises in Morocco, were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean about a week after he fell off a cliff during a recreational hike.
- Key, a 27-year-old Air Defense Artillery officer, went missing along with another soldier near the Cap Draa Training Area during the African Lion multinational military exercise.
- A large search-and-rescue operation involving over 600 personnel from the U.S., Morocco, and other partners deployed various assets including frigates, vessels, helicopters, and drones to locate the missing soldiers.
- Search efforts for the second missing U.S. soldier are ongoing, with a U.S. contingent remaining in Morocco after the conclusion of the exercises to continue operations.
- African Lion 26 is the largest U.S. joint military exercise in Africa, involving more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 nations across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal.