Two US Service Members Missing During Military Exercises in Morocco

May 3, 2026

Two US service members went missing on Saturday during African Lion 2026, an annual joint military exercise involving 5,000 personnel from over 40 countries, after they failed to return from near ocean cliffs at the Cap Draa Training Area close to Tan Tan in southern Morocco. US African Command released a statement Sunday indicating authorities believe the incident was an accident, with initial reports suggesting the soldiers may have fallen into the ocean. A comprehensive search and rescue mission utilizing ground, air, and maritime resources from the US, Morocco, and other participating nations is currently underway. The incident remains under investigation as African Lion 2026 continues its scheduled run from April 27 to May 8 across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia.

Disappearance of US Service Members Near Moroccan Coast

▪The two missing US service members were participating in African Lion 2026.
▪Two US service members went missing during military exercises in Morocco.
▪The two US service members were last seen on Saturday near ocean cliffs in the vicinity of the Cap Draa Training Area.
▪The Cap Draa Training Area is close to the city of Tan Tan in Morocco.
▪Initial reports indicate the missing US soldiers may have fallen into the ocean.

Search and Rescue Operations

▪US African Command released a statement on Sunday about the missing service members.
▪US and Moroccan forces launched a search after the two service members were reported missing.

African Lion 2026 Military Exercise

▪African Lion 2026 is an annual joint training exercise.
▪African Lion is hosted across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia.
▪African Lion 2026 involves 5,000 personnel from over 40 countries.
▪African Lion 2026 involves more than 30 US-based industry partners.
▪African Lion focuses on all-domain operations, crisis response, and multinational coordination to enhance regional security and prepare for emergencies.
▪African Lion 2026 is scheduled to run from 27 April to 8 May.
▪African Lion is the continent's largest annual joint military exercise.
▪African Lion is an annual joint exercise designed to strengthen operations between US forces, Nato allies, and African nations.

Perspective of United States Armed Forces

▪US African Command characterizes the disappearance of the two service members as an accident rather than a hostile act.

Perspective of Families of missing service members

▪The families of the two missing US service members are awaiting information about the search and rescue efforts near Tan Tan, Morocco.

Perspective of Morocco

▪Moroccan authorities are deploying resources to assist in locating the two missing US service members during African Lion 2026.
▪Morocco is hosting African Lion 2026 with responsibility for coordinating multinational military activities across its territory.