The United States Army has confirmed the recovery of the remains of a second soldier who went missing during military exercises in Morocco. Specialist Mariyah Symone Collington, 19, from Taveres, Florida, was identified as the deceased service member, according to a statement from US Army Europe and Africa.
Recovery Operation
The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces transported Collington's remains by helicopter to the Moulay El Hassan military hospital morgue in Guelmim, Morocco. The soldier served as an air and missile defense crew member assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.
Collington entered the Regular Army's Delayed Entry Program in 2023 and began active-duty service in 2024. She completed training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as a 14P air and missile defense crew member. In February 2025, she reported to her unit in Ansbach, Germany, and was promoted to specialist on 1 May 2026. Her awards include the Army Service Ribbon.
Incident Details
The recovery came days after the military announced the remains of 1st Lt Kendrick Lamont Key Jr, a 14A air defense artillery officer, had also been found. Both soldiers died after falling off a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike in Morocco. Their remains are now en route to the United States.
A spokesperson for the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) told the Associated Press that the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation. The two soldiers were reported missing on 2 May after participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise held in Morocco.
Search Efforts
Their disappearance triggered a search operation involving more than 1,000 US and Moroccan military and civilian personnel, utilizing air, naval, and artificial intelligence assets. African Lion 26, a US-led exercise launched in April, spans four countries—Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal—with over 7,000 personnel from more than 30 nations. Since 2004, it has been the largest US joint military exercise in Africa.
In 2012, two US Marines were killed and two others injured during a helicopter crash in Morocco's southern city of Agadir while participating in similar exercises.
