A United States military team will remain in Morocco as search operations continue for two soldiers who went missing on May 2 during a training exercise near a coastal cliff, officials have confirmed.
Col. Alex C. Tignor, spokesperson for the Army’s Southern European Task Force, Africa, said the search has expanded significantly across land and sea.
“The search for the two U.S. soldiers has covered more than 4,600 square miles of sea and coastal area,” Tignor said in an email on Saturday.
He added that search teams are expanding operations daily by roughly 1,200 square miles, moving westward based on ocean current modelling.
The soldiers disappeared near the Cap Draa Training Area on Morocco’s southwestern coast during the U.S. Africa Command’s African Lion exercise, the largest annual military drill conducted by the United States in Africa. The exercise involved thousands of personnel across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal.
Search efforts began shortly after the soldiers were reported missing, with support from Moroccan authorities, France, and other international partners.
Tignor explained that advanced tools are being used to support the operation.
“A combined joint task force converged air, land, and sea assets while integrating AI and unmanned systems from more than ten distinct participating vendors,” he said.
Artificial intelligence systems are being used to analyse large volumes of data collected from drones, boats, and other surveillance platforms to help guide search efforts.
“We’re using every combined joint asset we have at our disposal,” Lt. Col. Ramone Leonguerrero said while speaking from the search command centre.
Initial reports suggest the incident may have started during a sunset hike when one soldier reportedly fell from a cliff into the ocean. Other personnel allegedly attempted a rescue by forming a human chain, which broke apart due to strong waves, resulting in more individuals entering the water. Officials, however, have not confirmed the exact sequence of events.
The search has involved helicopters, drones, naval ships from both the U.S. and Morocco, as well as divers and mountain rescue teams.
Military units, including the Air Force, Marine Corps, Army Special Forces, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade, alongside Moroccan forces, are participating in the operation.
Although the African Lion exercise has officially ended, Tignor confirmed that search operations will continue.
“We are extremely grateful to our Moroccan partners for their continued efforts,” he said.
