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The remains were those of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 14A
Air Defense Artillery officer who was one of two U.S. soldiers
who fell off a cliff during a recreational hike in Morocco while
off duty. He was 27 years old.
The two were reported missing May 2 after participating in
African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise held in
Morocco.
“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,” U.S. Army Europe and Africa said in a
statement.
The two went missing around 9 p.m. near the Cap Draa Training
Area outside Tan-Tan, a terrain characterized by mountains,
desert and semidesert plains, according to the Moroccan
military.
Their disappearance triggered a search-and-rescue operation
involving more than 600 personnel from the United States,
Morocco and other military partners. The operation deployed
frigates, vessels, helicopters and drones.
Search efforts will continue for the missing second soldier, a
U.S. defense official told The Associated Press on condition of
anonymity as they were not allowed to speak publicly on the
issue.
The official said a U.S. contingent remained in Morocco after
the war games ended Friday to provide command and control and to
continue search and rescue operations.
Key was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air
Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense
Command, the army said. His decorations include the Army
Achievement Medal and Army Service Ribbon.
He entered military service in 2023 as an officer candidate and
earned his commission through Officer Candidate School in 2024
as an Air Defense Artillery officer. He later completed the
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, according to
the statement.
African Lion 26, is a U.S.-led exercise launched in April across
four countries – Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal – with more
than 7,000 personnel from over 30 nations. Since 2004, it has
been the largest U.S. joint military exercise in Africa.
In 2012, two U.S. Marines were killed and two others injured
during a helicopter crash in Morocco’s southern city of Agadir
while taking part in the exercises.
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