The U.S. Army is searching for two service members who went missing while taking part in a joint military exercise in Morocco, according to a statement released by the U.S. Africa Command on Sunday.
The service members were reported missing on Saturday near Cap Draa Training Area, in southwestern Morocco, along the Atlantic Ocean. They had been participating in African Lion 2026, a large joint military exercise held annually by U.S. forces, NATO countries and African nations.
A U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters, said the two Army soldiers were out on an early evening hike at a training range and were believed to have fallen off a cliff into the water.
The statement, which did not identify the missing individuals, said U.S. and Moroccan forces had immediately launched “ground, air and maritime assets” to conduct search and rescue operations.
“The incident remains under investigation and the search is ongoing,” the statement said.
Around 5,000 personnel from over 40 countries were scheduled to participate in this year’s African Lion exercises in Morocco from April 27 to May 8.
U.S. Africa Command did not immediately respond to a request for further information on Sunday.
Eric Schmitt is a national security correspondent for The Times. He has reported on U.S. military affairs and counterterrorism for more than three decades. Contact him securely on Signal: ericschmitt.36.
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