The U.S. Army has identified the soldier whose remains were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean off Morocco’s coast as 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 27-year-old Air Defense Artillery officer assigned to the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.

Key was one of two American service members reported missing on May 2 after falling from a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike near the Cap Draa Training Area outside Tan-Tan, Morocco. Both had been participating in African Lion 26, the annual multinational military exercise held across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal.

A Moroccan military search team discovered Key’s remains along the shoreline at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time on May 9, within roughly one mile of where both soldiers were believed to have entered the ocean after the incident.

The U.S. contingent remained in Morocco following the conclusion of African Lion 26 on Friday to maintain command-and-control and search-and-rescue operations alongside Moroccan forces. The Army confirmed Key entered service in 2023 as an officer candidate, earned his commission through Officer Candidate School in 2024, and completed the Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Key’s identification brings closure for one military family while another continues to await news. U.S. Africa Command reported more than 600 personnel from the United States, Morocco, and partner nations participated in the search effort near Cap Draa, utilizing maritime vessels, aviation assets, drones, divers, and shoreline teams across challenging coastal terrain. The multinational response underscored the urgency of the operation after two service members were initially reported missing during African Lion 26 on May 2.

The Army has not publicly identified the second missing soldier, whose remains remain unrecovered despite ongoing efforts.