Body of soldier missing in Morocco during training exercise found, US military says

The body of an American soldier who went missing while in Morocco for an annual training exercise has been found, the US military announced on Sunday.

First Lt. Lamont Key Jr. was one of two U.S. service members who went missing a little more than a week ago in the waters off Morocco’s southern coast near the Cap Draa training area, the military said in a news release.

Army officials said search operations for the second soldier, who has not been identified, would continue. Search efforts so far have involved more than 1,000 U.S. and Moroccan military and civilian personnel, according to the military.

The two service members were participating in African Lion, an annual training exercise, although defense officials previously told CBS News that the incident did not appear to be related to the event. A preliminary report indicates that the two men were part of a group of soldiers who were going on a hike to watch the sunset when a soldier known to not know how to swim fell into the water. Defense officials said the second missing soldier jumped in an attempt to rescue but was hit by a wave. Other soldiers tried to rescue the two men, but without success.

1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key, Jr. U.S. Army Europe and Africa

Key’s body was found by a Moroccan military search team around 8:55 a.m. Saturday morning local time, the U.S. military said. It was found along the shoreline, about a mile from where the two soldiers disappeared into the ocean on May 2, according to the Army. It is not clear whether Key was the soldier who fell or the one who allegedly jumped.

Army officials said ongoing search efforts would focus on where Key’s remains were found, while monitoring a broader perimeter.

Key, 27, was from Richmond, Virginia, according to the Army. He served as an air defense artillery officer in the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.

Key “embodied the highest standards of service as a selfless and inspirational leader whose unwavering dedication to his Soldiers and their development leaves a lasting legacy within our ranks,” Lt. Col. Chris Couch, 5-4 ADAR commander, said in the release.

The Cap Draa training area in Morocco. CBS News

He is survived by his parents, sister and brother-in-law, according to the military. His relatives were informed before the announcement. His remains were transported to an area morgue and plans are underway to repatriate them from Morocco to the United States.

Brigadier General Curtis King, commanding general of 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, said in a statement that Key’s colleagues were “in mourning” and “will continue to support each other” and the soldier’s family, “while honoring his life and service.”

Key joined his battalion in 2025 and had become a platoon leader at the time of his death, the Army said. He was described as caring, selfless and inspiring by the leaders of his artillery regiment, and earned various awards for his service, including the Army Achievement Medal and the Military Service Ribbon.

Before joining the Army in 2023, Key earned a bachelor of science degree in marketing from North Carolina Methodist University, where he also took minor courses in international business, entrepreneurship and business administration, the Army said.

Chris Livesay contributed to this report.

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