The US military has confirmed that a soldier participating in the African Lion joint military exercise fell overboard in waters off Morocco. Officials said a second soldier jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue their comrade. A large-scale search and rescue operation is now underway.

Details

African Lion is America’s largest annual military exercise in Africa, held this year across multiple locations in Morocco with participation from several allied nations. According to military officials, the soldier fell overboard while carrying out a training mission. The exact circumstances are still under investigation.

The soldier who jumped in to rescue their teammate displayed remarkable courage, but rough sea conditions and strong currents have made the search operation extremely difficult. The US military has deployed search assets including helicopters and fast boats to conduct a grid search in the area.

Official Response

A Pentagon spokesperson said the missing soldier’s family has been notified and the military will do everything possible to find them. Morocco is also assisting with the search effort. The African Lion exercise aims to strengthen military cooperation and security capacity building between the US and African partner nations, with this year’s drill being the largest in its history.

Source: CBS News

May 3, 2026 — US Africa Command confirmed Saturday that two US Army soldiers went missing in Morocco while participating in the annual African Lion 2026 multinational military exercise.

Incident Details

According to the Associated Press, the two service members were reported missing on Saturday near the Cap Draa Training Area in southwestern Morocco, close to the city of Tan Tan. The Moroccan military stated that the soldiers went missing near a cliff.

US Africa Command confirmed the incident in a statement and said it is working alongside Moroccan forces to conduct a search and rescue operation.

Extensive Search Operation

Daily Voice reported that a large-scale search operation has been launched, stretching from desert cliffs to the Atlantic coast. Search teams are using helicopters, drones, and ground search parties to conduct a thorough sweep of the area.

The New York Post, reporting from Lagos, Nigeria, said the two US service members went missing in southwestern Morocco after taking part in the annual multinational military exercises.

African Lion Exercise

African Lion is an annual multinational military exercise co-hosted by US Africa Command and the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. It is one of the largest military exercises on the African continent. The 2026 iteration has drawn thousands of troops from multiple countries and aims to strengthen interoperability among allied forces and address regional security challenges.

The exercise covers a range of scenarios including counterterrorism operations, humanitarian assistance, and amphibious operations. The Cap Draa Training Area is located in Morocco’s southwestern coastal desert region, featuring complex terrain that includes cliffs, desert, and Atlantic coastline.

Investigation Ongoing

The Moroccan military said the incident remains under investigation. No further details have been released regarding the identities of the two missing soldiers, and there has been no confirmation of whether injuries are suspected.

Neither US Africa Command nor the Moroccan military has provided an update on the progress of the search operation. The search is expected to continue until both soldiers are located.

Source: Associated Press, The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report