On Sunday, the body of a US soldier who disappeared while hiking in Morocco was discovered.
The remains belonged to 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 14A Air Defence Artillery officer and one of two US servicemen who fell down a cliff while on vacation in Morocco. His age was twenty-seven.
A second missing soldier was still being sought after by military personnel.
After taking part in African Lion, an annual multinational military drill in Morocco, the two were reported missing on May 2. According to a statement from US Army Europe and Africa, “A Moroccan military search team found the Soldier in the water along the shoreline at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time May 9, within roughly one mile of where both Soldiers reportedly entered the ocean.”
According to the Moroccan military, the two vanished at 9 p.m. close to the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan, which is surrounded by mountains, desert, and semidesert plains.
More than 600 soldiers from the US, Morocco, and other military allies participated in the search and rescue effort that followed their disappearance. Frigates, ships, helicopters, and drones were used in the mission. “Today, we mourn the loss of 1st Lt. Kendrick Key, whose remains were recovered in Morocco,” Brig. The 10th Army Air and Missile Defence Command’s commanding officer is officer Curtis King.
The remains belonged to 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 14A Air Defence Artillery officer and one of two US servicemen who fell down a cliff while on vacation in Morocco. He was 27 years old.
After taking part in African Lion, an annual multinational military drill held in Morocco, the two were reported missing on May 2.
“His family, friends, teammates, and everyone who knew and served with him are in our thoughts and prayers.” As we honour 1st Lt. Key’s life and service, the 10th Army Air and Missile Defence Command Family will continue to support one another and his family.
According to a US defence official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not permitted to discuss the matter publicly, search attempts for the missing second soldier will continue.
According to the official, after the war games concluded on Friday, a U.S. detachment stayed in Morocco to maintain search and rescue efforts and to provide command and control.
According to the army, Key was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defence Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defence Command.
The Army Service Ribbon and the Army Achievement Medal are among his awards.
In 2023, he joined the military as an officer candidate, and in 2024, he was commissioned as an Air Defence Artillery officer through Officer Candidate School.
According to the statement, Key subsequently finished the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
More than 7,000 people from more than 30 countries participated in African Lion 26, a US-led exercise that took place in four countries in April: Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal. It has been the biggest joint US military exercise in Africa since 2004.
While participating in the drills, two US Marines were killed and two others injured in a helicopter crash in the southern Moroccan city of Agadir in 2012.
According to the US military, the multi-national exercise is essential to enhancing regional security cooperation and improving participant forces’ preparedness for international crises.
In northern and western Africa, where other nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have been turning away from Western powers since 2020, Morocco remains one of the United States’ most important friends.
“Our focus is on the service members involved and their families,” AFRICOM said while conducting the search.”
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