Two American service members taking part in the African Lion joint military drills have been declared missing in the vicinity of Tan-Tan.
Their disappearance during the African Lion exercise has triggered an extensive search-and-rescue mission, according to the United States Africa Command and the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces.
Search teams from the United States, Morocco, and allied nations have mobilised coordinated operations across land, air, and sea around the Cap Draa training zone, where the soldiers were last spotted near a coastal cliff.
Assets involved in the operation include Moroccan SA-330 Puma and AS332 Super Puma helicopters, a U.S. CH-47 Chinook, surveillance drones from both countries, as well as French and Moroccan naval vessels. Specialised Moroccan climbers and divers are also participating in the ongoing effort.
Authorities say investigations are still underway, and the identities of the missing personnel have not been disclosed. A U.S. defence official noted that preliminary information suggests the troops may have fallen into the ocean, adding that there is no indication of any terrorist involvement.
The African Lion drills, organised by AFRICOM, represent the largest annual multinational military exercise on the continent, aimed at improving coordination and operational compatibility among U.S. forces, NATO partners, and African countries.
This year’s exercise, running from April 27 to May 8, is being conducted across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia.
The main phase is being held in Morocco, involving about 5,000 troops from over 40 nations, with a focus on joint operations, crisis response, and strengthening multinational military cooperation.