The remains of U.S. Army 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. were recovered in Morocco, while search efforts continue for a second soldier missing since a military exercise earlier this month.
The remains of a U.S. Army officer were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco after he fell from a cliff during a hike. The search continues for a second soldier who remains missing.
1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., 27, from Richmond, Virginia, was reported missing during military exercises in Morocco. His remains were located on Saturday, as announced by U.S. Army Europe and Africa on Sunday. Key, who served as a 14A Air Defense Artillery officer, was one of two soldiers who fell from a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike near the Cap Draa Training Area on May 2.
A Moroccan military search team discovered Key’s remains in the water along the shoreline at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time, about one mile from where both soldiers reportedly entered the ocean, according to the Army.
“Today, we mourn the loss of 1st Lt. Kendrick Key, whose remains were recovered in Morocco,” said Brig. Gen. Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. “Our hearts are with his family, friends, teammates, and all who knew and served alongside him. The 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command family is grieving, and we will continue to support one another and 1st Lt. Key’s family as we honor his life and service.”
Key and the second soldier were reported missing on May 2 after participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise that takes place across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal. The two soldiers were reported missing around 9 p.m. near the Cap Draa Training Area, an area characterized by mountains, desert, and semi-desert plains, as stated by the Moroccan military.
The disappearance of the two soldiers prompted a search-and-rescue operation involving over 600 personnel from the U.S., Morocco, and other military partners. The operation utilized ships, helicopters, and drones in an extensive effort to locate the missing soldiers.
Search efforts for the second soldier are ongoing. A U.S. contingent remained in Morocco after the conclusion of the military exercises on Friday to provide command and control and to support the continuing search and rescue mission.
Key was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. His military decorations include the Army Achievement Medal and the Army Service Ribbon. He entered military service in 2023 as an officer candidate and earned his commission through Officer Candidate School the following year as an Air Defense Artillery officer. Key later completed the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
He is survived by his parents, a sister, and a brother-in-law.
African Lion 26 is a U.S.-led military exercise that commenced in April and involved more than 5,600 civilian and military personnel from over 40 nations. For more than 20 years, it has been the largest U.S. joint military exercise in Africa. Notably, in 2012, two U.S. Marines were killed and two others injured during an MV-22 Osprey crash near Cap Draa while participating in Exercise African Lion.
According to The Associated Press, the search for the second soldier continues as the military community mourns the loss of 1st Lt. Key.