Ground, Air And Maritime Search Underway. US Service Members Vanish Near Cliff Zone At Cap Draa During African Lion 2026
Two United States service members are missing in southwestern Morocco, and a full search and rescue operation is now underway involving forces from multiple nations.
According to Al Jazeera, the pair were reported missing on May 2 near the Cap Draa Training Area close to the city of Tan Tan, Morocco, while taking part in African Lion 2026. AFRICOM confirmed the search involves ground, air and maritime assets deployed by both US and Moroccan forces.
Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces stated the soldiers went missing near a cliff in the area, a rugged stretch of coastline approximately 15 miles from the Atlantic Ocean where the Sahara Desert meets the sea.
African Lion 2026 brought together more than 5,000 military personnel from over 40 nations, including Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia and NATO members. It is the largest annual joint military exercise AFRICOM conducts on the African continent.
“Our focus is on the service members involved and their families,” AFRICOM said in its statement, adding that additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
The branch and unit of the two missing personnel has not yet been confirmed. The investigation is ongoing. Like this news article? Read our previous article here.
