U.S. Recovers Remains of Second Missing Soldier in Morocco

The U.S. military has recovered the remains of Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington, the second soldier who went missing in Morocco during a training exercise earlier this month. The 19-year-old soldier from Tavares, Florida, was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, under U.S. Army Europe and Africa. Her remains were transported by Royal Moroccan Armed Forces to a military hospital in Guelmim, Morocco, on Wednesday. The recovery follows the earlier discovery of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., 27, whose body was found in the Atlantic Ocean last week. Both soldiers disappeared on May 2 after falling from a cliff during an off-duty hike near the Cap Draa Training Area, where they were participating in African Lion 2026, a multinational military exercise led by the U.S. The circumstances of their deaths remain under investigation. Brig. Gen. Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, expressed grief over the loss, emphasizing the military's commitment to supporting the soldiers' families and teammates. The search involved over 1,000 personnel from multiple countries, utilizing air, naval, and artificial intelligence assets. Collington had completed her training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and was promoted to specialist just weeks before her death. Both soldiers' remains are en route to the United States.