U.S. Army authorities confirmed on Wednesday that the remains of the second of two American soldiers who went missing during a multinational training exercise in Morocco have been recovered.
The two service members disappeared near a cliff along Morocco’s Atlantic coastline while participating in the African Lion 2026 military drills.
Their remains including those of 19-year-old Specialist Mariyah Collington, whose body was discovered earlier on Tuesday inside a coastal cave were taken to a Moroccan military medical facility before being placed aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft for return to the United States.
According to the U.S. Army, both bodies are currently being transported back home.
Following the disappearance last Saturday, a large-scale search and rescue operation involving U.S., Moroccan, and allied forces was launched in the Cap Draa Training Area.
The Army stated that search efforts have now been completed, adding that attention has shifted to recovery procedures and repatriation of the fallen soldiers.
It also confirmed that investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident are still ongoing.
Over 1,000 military and civilian personnel from both the U.S. and Morocco took part in the operation, which covered approximately 21,300 square kilometers (8,200 square miles).
A U.S. military official, speaking anonymously last week, suggested the soldiers may have fallen into the sea accidentally, noting that terrorism was not suspected.