The United States Army has confirmed the recovery of the second American soldier who went missing during the multinational African Lion 2026 military exercises in Morocco. The two soldiers disappeared near a cliff along Morocco’s Atlantic coastline while participating in training activities at the Cap Draa Training Area. Their disappearance triggered an extensive week-long search involving US, Moroccan and allied forces. The body of one of the soldiers, identified as 19-year-old Specialist Mariyah Collington, was discovered Tuesday inside a coastal cave. The second soldier’s body was later recovered, bringing the search operation to an end. According to the US Army, the remains were transferred to a Moroccan military hospital before being flown aboard a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft for repatriation to the United States.
“Search and rescue operations have concluded. With both soldiers accounted for, the focus shifts to recovery and repatriation,” the Army said in a statement, adding that investigations into the incident are ongoing. More than 1,000 military and civilian personnel from the United States and Morocco participated in the operation, searching across an area covering approximately 21,300 square kilometres. African Lion is one of Africa’s largest joint military exercises, bringing together forces from several countries for land, air and maritime training aimed at strengthening regional security cooperation. A US military official previously told reporters that the soldiers were believed to have accidentally fallen into the sea, with authorities ruling out any link to terrorism.
