The body of First Lieutenant Lamont Key Jr., an American soldier who vanished off Morocco’s southern coast during a training exercise, was recovered on May 10, 2026. A Moroccan military search team found him at about 8:55 a.m. Saturday morning local time, along the shoreline about a mile from where he and another U.S. service member disappeared on May 2.
Key, 27, was one of two U.S. service members who went missing in waters near the Cap Draa Training Area during African Lion, an annual military exercise. Search operations for the second serviceman will continue.
More than 1,000 U.S. and Moroccan military and civil personnel took part in the search, which stretched across land and sea after the pair disappeared off Morocco’s southern coast. Defense officials previously said the incident was not believed to be related to the event.
A preliminary report said the two soldiers went on a hike to watch the sunset before one fell into the water. Defense officials said the second missing soldier jumped in to try to rescue him and was hit by a wave. Other soldiers attempted to rescue both men but were unsuccessful. It is not clear whether Key was the soldier who fell into the water or the one who jumped in after him.
Key was from Richmond, Virginia, and served as an air defense artillery officer with the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. He joined his battalion in 2025 and had become a platoon leader by the time he died. He had earned the Army Achievement Medal and Army Service Ribbon, and received a Bachelor of Science in marketing from Methodist University in North Carolina before joining the military in 2023.
Chris Couch said Key “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.” Curtis King said the unit was “grieving” and would “continue to support one another” “as we honor his life and service.” Plans were underway to repatriate Key’s remains from Morocco to the United States.
