The body of the second of two missing U.S. soldiers has been recovered by joint military forces in Morocco after a training mission went awry, concluding a days-long search that ended in heartbreak.
The soldier was identified in a press release by U.S. Army Europe and Africa as Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington, 19, of Tavares, Fla. Collington served as an air and missile defense crewmember and was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.
Collington is the second of two American service members to be found after vanishing May 2 near the Cap Draa Training Area during a major multinational military exercise known as African Lion 26. On May 9, the service announced the recovery of the body of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 27-year-old Army air defense officer from Richmond, Va.
The Army said May 13 that U.S. Air Force para-rescuemen with the 406th Air Expeditionary Wing, Moroccan military mountaineers, and Moroccan Civil Protection located and retrieved Collington on May 12 from a coastal cave roughly 500 meters from where both she and Key reportedly entered the ocean.
“Challenging ocean conditions, coastal terrain and the cave’s accessibility complicated search and recovery operations throughout the effort,” the service said, adding that with a concluded search the focus now “shifts to recovery and repatriation.”
“The loss of Spc. Collington is a profound loss for the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command,” said Brig. Gen. Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, in a statement. “Her recovery closes the search for our two missing soldiers, but our commitment to caring for their families, friends, and teammates continues.
“We are grateful to the U.S. and Moroccan forces for their professionalism and support throughout the search efforts.”
The Army said that more than 1,000 U.S. and Moroccan military and civil personnel participated in the search, covering more than 21,300 square kilometers across sea and littoral zones.
They collectively applied integrated air, land, sea and subsurface capabilities throughout the operation, including unmanned aerial systems, rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft, surface vessels, dive teams, mountaineering teams and ground search elements.
Search planners repositioned assets daily based on real-time drift analysis, weather predictions and each platform’s operational capabilities to focus efforts on the highest-probability areas, per the service.
“I can’t say enough about the extraordinary efforts of the Moroccan government, our sister services and allies,” Gen. Christopher Donahue, Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe and Africa said in a statement. “They were with us during a difficult time—tireless, determined, and compassionate—to aid in the search for our two missing soldiers.”
Their commitment never wavered, and their willingness to do whatever it took to bring our soldiers home to their families speaks volumes about the strength of our partnership and the character of those who serve.
‘Unwavering Enthusiasm and Positive Spirit’
Collington is remembered by her superiors and fellow service members for showing determination, even at a young age.
She entered the Regular Army’s Delayed Entry Program in 2023 before beginning active-duty service in 2024, according to the service, and completed Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Okla., as a 14P air and missile defense crewmember.
She reported to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, in Ansbach, Germany, in February 2025 and was promoted to specialist on May 1, 2026.
During her time with Charlie Battery, the Army says she was known for her character and impact across her battery.
“Spc. Collington was an outstanding soldier whose unwavering enthusiasm and positive spirit uplifted every environment she entered,” said Capt. Spencer Grider, commander of Charlie Battery, 5-4 ADAR, in a statement. “Her infectious energy, whether in the office, in the field or among her peers, fostered connection and camaraderie, bringing people together through her genuine warmth and heartfelt sense of humor.”
Her presence will be greatly missed across our formation.
Others pledged to spread her memory and legacy, across the service and through her family and friends.
“Spc. Collington was a bright light in this battalion,” Lt. Col. Chris Couch, the 5-4 ADAR battalion commander, said in a statement. “To the soldiers who knew her best and served alongside her each day, she was a treasured friend whose loss leaves a deep and profound void on our team.”
Collington’s awards and decorations include the Army Service Ribbon.
Key’s Legacy
Key, 27, of Richmond, Virginia, was a 14A Air Defense Artillery officer assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, according to the Army. The unit is based in Europe and falls under the Army’s air and missile defense forces, a mission focused on protecting troops, bases and allied territory from airborne threats.
The Army said Key was recovered by a Moroccan military search team at about 8:55 a.m. local time May 9 in the water along the shoreline, roughly 1 mile from where both soldiers reportedly entered the Atlantic Ocean. His recovery shifted attention to the second missing soldier, who turned out to be Collington.
Key had only recently entered the Army. He joined the service in 2023 as an officer candidate and was commissioned through Officer Candidate School in 2024, the Army said. He later completed the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Okla.
“Today, we mourn the loss of 1st Lt. Kendrick Key, whose remains were recovered in Morocco,” Brig. Gen. Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, said in the Army’s May 10 statement. “Our hearts are with his family, friends, teammates and all who knew and served alongside him.”
King said the command would continue supporting Key’s family while honoring his life and service.
The Army’s identification of Key marked the first official casualty confirmation after the two soldiers vanished near Cap Draa. The second soldier had not been publicly identified as of Tuesday evening, and U.S. officials had not confirmed whether next of kin had been notified.
Details Hazy on How Situation Unfolded
African Lion 26 began April 20 and ended May 8, with training in Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal. The Army described it as U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise, with more than 5,600 military and civilian personnel from more than 40 nations taking part.
The exercise is designed to test U.S., Moroccan and partner-nation forces across a wide range of missions, including command and control, field training, joint operations and regional security cooperation. Morocco has long been a central host nation for the exercise, which is meant to strengthen military ties between the U.S., North African partners and other allied forces. The search for the missing soldiers continued after the formal close of the exercise.
The reported recovery of the second soldier would end the search, but it would not close the case. U.S. officials had not immediately confirmed the soldier’s identity, unit assignment, exact recovery time or whether next of kin had been notified.
The Army also has not released a final account of how the two soldiers entered the water near Cap Draa. A U.S. defense official told the Associated Press that the soldiers were believed to have fallen from a cliff during a recreational hike after training had ended. The incident remains under Army investigation.
On May 13, the Army said Collington’s next of kin have been notified. No further family details will be released at this time.
Royal Moroccan Armed Forces transported her remains by a Moroccan helicopter to the morgue of Moulay El Hassan Military Hospital in Guelmim, Morocco. Moroccan and U.S. forces conducted a dignified carry on the evening of May 12, at the military airport in Guelmim, honoring both Collington and Key.
Both their remains departed Morocco aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130J and are on their way to the United States.
Darius Radzius contributed to this story.
