U.S. Service Members Missing Near Cap Draa Training Area During African Lion Exercise in Morocco

Two U.S. service members were reported missing in Morocco during the annual African Lion exercise, with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) saying they were last seen on Saturday near ocean cliffs in the vicinity of the Cap Draa Training Area close to the city of Tan-Tan.

“2 US service members missing in Morocco during multinational military exercise The service members are with the Army, officials told ABC News”

ABC News

ABC News reported that the service members were with the Army and were “reported missing near the Cap Draa Training Area, near the city of Tan-Tan” on Saturday, citing an AFRICOM statement.

ABC News

NBC News said the incident happened on May 2 near the Cap Draa Training Area near Tan Tan, close to the Atlantic Ocean, and described the terrain as mountainous, a mix of desert and semidesert plains.

The BBC similarly said officials last saw the missing soldiers on Saturday near ocean cliffs near Cap Draa, close to Tan Tan, and that initial reports indicate they “may have fallen into the ocean.”

The Los Angeles Times added that the disappearance occurred Saturday night near ocean cliffs after the soldiers “venturing on a recreational hike after a day of multinational military exercises,” and said the Moroccan military reported the hike began about 9 p.m. Saturday.

In parallel, Task & Purpose reported that a U.S. defense official said the soldiers were last seen near ocean cliffs “during scheduled training,” and that when they did not return, “U.S. and Moroccan personnel immediately initiated a joint search effort.”

The disappearance unfolded during African Lion 2026, an annual joint training exercise described by multiple outlets as spanning multiple host countries and involving thousands of troops and personnel.

The BBC said the missing soldiers were participating in “African Lion 2026, an annual joint training exercise,” and described African Lion as hosted across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia, with the exercise scheduled to run from 27 April to 8 May.

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NBC News said the war games exercise started in April and runs across four countries, including Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal, and is scheduled to end in early May.

ABC News described African Lion as “a major annual exercise involving roughly 5,000 troops and personnel from some 40 countries,” including the U.S., Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia.

The Los Angeles Times reported a larger scale, saying African Lion involved “over 7,000 personnel from 30 nations across four African countries through early May,” and added that the exercise began in Tunisia and includes active-duty members from branches including the National Guard, Army Reserve, Air Force and Marine Corps.

Task & Purpose said this year’s event “started April 20 and runs through May 8, with more than 5,000 personnel from 40 nations taking part,” and described it as the largest U.S.-led joint exercise on the African continent having started in 2004.

AFRICOM and U.S. officials described an immediate, coordinated search and rescue operation involving multiple domains and partners, while also emphasizing that the incident remained under investigation.

ABC News quoted AFRICOM saying, “U.S., Moroccan and other assets from African Lion immediately initiated coordinated search and rescue operations, including ground, air, and maritime assets,” and said the incident is under investigation with the search ongoing.

NBC News likewise said, “The incident remains under investigation and the search is ongoing,” and described the search as launched by the U.S., Morocco and other countries participating in African Lion.

The BBC reported that a search and rescue mission involving ground, air, and maritime resources from the U.S., Morocco and other countries was under way, and it included a statement that “The incident remains under investigation and the search is ongoing,” with AFRICOM adding, “Our focus is on the service members involved and their families.”

Task & Purpose added operational details, saying several Moroccan helicopters and at least one American CH-47 Chinook helicopter were searching, and that search teams were also using drones and a frigate.

The Guardian described initial reports as indicating the two soldiers “may have fallen into the ocean,” and it included a U.S. defense official telling Reuters by email, “I can confirm this incident is not related to terrorism.”

While official statements emphasized an accident and rejected terrorism or kidnapping, some reporting also reflected uncertainty about what exactly happened and how the soldiers’ movements were characterized.

The BBC said authorities believed the incident was an accident and was “not an act of terrorism or kidnapping,” citing a U.S. official, and it described the soldiers as reported missing after they “failed to return to the training area.”

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ABC News said there was “no indication of foul play,” and a U.S. official told ABC News that both soldiers were on a hike when they are believed to have fallen from a cliff and into the ocean.

The Los Angeles Times reported that a U.S. Defense official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity that the soldiers “were not actively taking part in any training,” and that “from our understanding, they were out on a recreational hike.”

Task & Purpose similarly said a U.S. defense official told it the two are Army soldiers who were exploring the training area “at the end of the day’s activities,” and that the Moroccan military said they were reported missing around 9 p.m. local time on Saturday.

The Guardian’s account, drawing on a U.S. defense official to Reuters by email, said “Initial reports indicate the two soldiers may have fallen into the ocean,” and it added “I can confirm this incident is not related to terrorism.”

The next phase of the response, as described by the outlets, is continued search and investigation, with AFRICOM saying its focus is on the missing service members and their families while additional information is to be provided as it becomes available.

NBC News said the command did not state what unit or branch of the military the missing service members belong to, and it reported that the Associated Press requested clarification.

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ABC News said rescue operations included ground, air and maritime assets and that the incident is under investigation, with the search for the missing service members ongoing.

The BBC similarly said, “The incident remains under investigation and the search is ongoing,” and that AFRICOM’s statement emphasized, “Our focus is on the service members involved and their families.”

Task & Purpose reported that the Moroccan military said the soldiers were reported missing around 9 p.m. local time on Saturday and that search operations were still underway with helicopters, drones and a frigate, alongside Moroccan mountaineers and divers.

Africanews said that by early Sunday evening, just before 20:00 GMT, searches were still ongoing, and it described extensive assets deployed including helicopters, ships, drones, mountaineering teams, and specialized divers.