A vast, multinational search operation has concluded with the grim discovery of a second US army soldier’s remains in Morocco. The military confirmed on Wednesday the recovery of Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington, 19, of Taveres, Florida, who had been missing following the African Lion military exercises. This somber announcement brings an end to a painstaking search that utilized air, naval, and even artificial intelligence assets.
Specialist Collington’s remains were reportedly transported by a Moroccan helicopter to the morgue of Moulay El Hassan military hospital in Guelmim, Morocco. She served as an air and missile defense crew member, assigned to Charlie battery, fifth battalion, fourth air defense artillery regiment, part of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, US Army Europe and Africa.
Search Concludes for US Soldier Recovered
Collington’s journey in service began with her entry into the Regular Army’s Delayed Entry Program in 2023, transitioning to active-duty service in 2024. She honed her skills as a 14P air and missile defense crew member through basic combat training and advanced individual training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Notably, she reported to her unit in Ansbach, Germany, in February 2025, achieving the rank of specialist on 1 May 2026. Her valor was recognized with the Army Service Ribbon.
Days prior to this announcement, the military had revealed the recovery of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., an air defense artillery officer. Both soldiers, tragically, lost their lives after falling off a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike in the rugged Moroccan landscape. Their remains are now en route back to the United States.
The circumstances surrounding this heartbreaking incident remain under rigorous investigation, a spokesperson for the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), confirmed to the Associated Press. The two soldiers were reported missing on May 2nd, shortly after participating in African Lion, the annual multinational military exercise. Their disappearance ignited a massive search effort, mobilizing over 1,000 US and Moroccan military and civilian personnel.
African Lion 26, a formidable US-led exercise, commenced in April across four nations: Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal. It involved more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 countries, standing as the largest US joint military exercise in Africa since its inception in 2004. The recovery of the second US soldier marks a sorrowful moment for all involved in the exercise.
Such incidents are a stark reminder of the inherent risks, even during training. In 2012, two US Marines perished and two others sustained injuries during a helicopter crash in Morocco’s southern city of Agadir, also while participating in these exercises. The US military operations around the globe, while crucial for global stability, sometimes come with immense personal cost.
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