Remains of missing soldier found off the coast of Morocco

The remains of a U.S. Army soldier who was reported missing in Southern Morocco last week have been recovered, the Army said in a statement Sunday.

First Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., of Richmond, Virginia, was found Saturday, one week after he and another soldier were reported missing. The two soldiers entered the ocean on May 2 near the Cap Draa Training Area during a joint military exercise.

The Moroccan Army said the soldiers went missing near a cliff.

The second service member, whose name has not been released, remained missing Monday.

Key, 27, was involved in African Lion 26, U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise, which involved over 40 countries and this year spanned across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia.

He served as an air defense artillery officer assigned to the Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. While serving as a platoon leader, Key was known for caring deeply for soldiers across the unit.

“Kendrick embodied the highest standards of service as a selfless, inspirational leader whose unwavering dedication to his Soldiers and their development leaves an enduring legacy within our ranks,” Key’s battalion commander, Lt. Col. Chris Couch, said in a statement. “The 5-4 ADAR Family mourns the loss of an exceptional teammate, and our heartfelt thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the Key Family.”

Key graduated from Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina, before entering the military via officer candidate school in 2023. He was commissioned in 2024 and joined Charlie Battery in 2025.

A Moroccan military search team found Key in the water approximately one mile from where both soldiers reportedly entered the ocean. The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces moved his remains by helicopter to Moulay El Hassan Military Hospital in Guelmim, Morocco, and the Army said plans are in motion to repatriate his body.

More than 1,000 U.S. and Moroccan personnel have been involved in the search for the two soldiers, and officials praised the Moroccan response.

“Our Moroccan hosts have provided every asset we’ve requested and incredible subject-matter expertise, from mountaineering and dive teams to UAS operators, aircraft and maritime assets,” said Gen. Christopher Donahue, the commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the efforts they, along with our teammates from across the services, continue to pour in as we search for our remaining Soldier,” he said.

Eve Sampson is a reporter and former Army officer. She has covered conflict across the world, writing for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press.

美国陆军周日发表声明称，上周在摩洛哥南部失踪的一名美国陆军士兵的遗体已被找到。

来自弗吉尼亚州里士满的肯德里克·拉蒙特·基二世中尉于周六被找到，此前他和另一名士兵被报告失踪一周。这两名士兵于5月2日在德拉角训练区附近的一次联合军事演习中落水。

摩洛哥军方称，这些士兵在悬崖附近失踪。

第二名失踪军人姓名尚未公布，截至周一仍下落不明。

27 岁的基伊参与了“非洲雄狮 26”演习，这是美国非洲司令部规模最大的年度联合演习，涉及 40 多个国家，今年的演习范围涵盖加纳、摩洛哥、塞内加尔和突尼斯。

他曾担任防空炮兵军官，隶属于第10陆军防空导弹司令部第4防空炮兵团第5营C连。在担任排长期间，基伊以对部队所有士兵的深切关怀而闻名。

“肯德里克是一位无私奉献、鼓舞人心的领导者，他体现了最高标准的服役精神，他对士兵及其发展的坚定奉献精神在我们队伍中留下了永恒的遗产，”基伊的营长克里斯·库奇中校在一份声明中说。“第5-4装甲侦察营全体官兵为失去这样一位杰出的战友而感到悲痛，我们向基伊的家人致以最深切的慰问和哀悼。”

Key毕业于北卡罗来纳州费耶特维尔的卫理公会大学，之后于2023年通过军官候选学校进入军队。他于2024年被授予军官军衔，并于2025年加入查理炮兵连。

摩洛哥军方搜救队在距离两名士兵据称落水地点约一英里的水域中发现了基伊的遗体。摩洛哥皇家武装部队已用直升机将他的遗体运往位于摩洛哥盖勒敏的穆莱·哈桑军事医院，军方表示正在安排将他的遗体运回国。

超过 1000 名美国和摩洛哥人员参与了对两名士兵的搜寻，官员们对摩洛哥的反应表示赞扬。

“我们的摩洛哥东道主提供了我们要求的所有资源和令人难以置信的专业知识，从登山队和潜水队到无人机操作员、飞机和海上资产，”美国陆军欧洲和非洲司令克里斯托弗·多纳休将军说。

他说：“我们非常感谢他们以及来自各军种的队友们，在我们寻找剩余士兵的过程中，他们一直在不懈努力。”

伊芙·桑普森是一名记者，也是一名前陆军军官。她曾报道过世界各地的冲突，为《纽约时报》、《华盛顿邮报》和美联社撰稿。