Recovery of Missing Soldiers’ Bodies in Morocco
Authorities announced that the remains of a second soldier, who vanished on May 2 near a training area in southern Morocco, have been retrieved by U.S. and Moroccan military teams.
U.S. Air Force paramedics, along with Moroccan military mountaineers and Civil Protection teams, worked to recover the bodies of the special forces. Mariyah Simone Collington, 19, from Taveres, Florida, signaled to the U.S. military on May 12 from a coastal cave approximately 500 meters from where she and another soldier, Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., were believed to have entered the water. According to reports, the rescuers faced challenging seas and difficult access to the cave.
Although the recovery of Collington’s body marks the conclusion of the search for both soldiers, the military will continue to provide support to their families and colleagues, as stated by Brigadier General Curtis King, commander of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.
The two soldiers went missing near the Cap d’Or training range, and the body of Lt. Key was discovered about a mile from where they had entered the water.
More than 1,000 U.S. and Moroccan personnel, both military and civilian, participated in a search operation that combined aerial, maritime, and underwater efforts, covering over 21,300 square kilometers. Resources utilized included unmanned aerial vehicles, rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, ships, diving teams, mountaineering units, and ground search teams, adapting their strategies based on real-time data and conditions.
Collington had gone missing just a day after receiving a promotion to specialist. She entered the Regular Army’s delayed enlistment program earlier this year and began active duty in 2024. After completing basic and advanced training in Oklahoma, she joined Charlie Company in Germany in February 2025.
Lt. Key was also a member of Battery Charlie within the same command.
Brig. Gen. King expressed that the loss of Collington is a significant blow to the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. In his remarks, Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, praised the Moroccan government’s support, highlighting their compassion and unwavering determination during a challenging time. He emphasized the strength of the partnership between the U.S. and Moroccan forces in the ongoing efforts to recover the soldiers.
