The body of a U.S. Army officer missing since a military exercise in Morocco has been found in the Atlantic Ocean, according to military officials. Meanwhile, efforts persist to locate a second missing soldier.
1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., 27, from Richmond, Virginia, was identified as the recovered soldier, according to an announcement by U.S. Army Europe and Africa on Sunday. Key, an officer specializing in Air Defense Artillery, was one of two American soldiers who reportedly fell from a cliff during an off-duty hike near the Cap Draa Training Area on May 2.
A Moroccan military search team discovered Key’s body along the shoreline at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time on Saturday, about a mile from where the soldiers were believed to have entered the ocean, the Army reported.
Brig. Gen. Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, expressed sorrow over the loss. “Today, we mourn the loss of 1st Lt. Kendrick Key, whose remains were recovered in Morocco,” King stated. “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.”
1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr.’s remains were found. (U.S. Army Europe and Africa)
The disappearance of Key and the second soldier was reported on May 2, following their participation in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise conducted across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal.
The two were reported missing around 9 p.m. near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan, a terrain featuring mountains, desert and semi-desert plains, the Moroccan military said.
The disappearance of the two soldiers led to a search-and-rescue mission involving more than 600 personnel from the U.S., Morocco and other military partners. Ships, helicopters and drones were deployed as part of this operation.
Search efforts will continue for the second missing soldier.
The two soldiers were reported missing after participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise held in Morocco. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)
A U.S. contingent remained in Morocco after the military exercises ended on Friday to provide command and control and to support the ongoing search and rescue mission.
Key was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, according to the Army.
His decorations include the Army Achievement Medal and Army Service Ribbon.
He entered military service in 2023 as an officer candidate and earned his commission through Officer Candidate School the following year as an Air Defense Artillery officer. He later completed the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Key is survived by his parents, his sister and his brother-in-law.
Search efforts will continue for the second missing soldier. (Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP via Getty Images)
African Lion 26 is a U.S.-led exercise that began in April across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal, with more than 5,600 civilian and military personnel from more than 40 nations.
For more than 20 years, it has been the largest U.S. joint military exercise in Africa.
In 2012, two U.S. Marines were killed, and two others injured during an MV-22 Osprey crash near Cap Draa while participating in Exercise African Lion.
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