U.S. Army Identifies Second Soldier Recovered After Morocco Training Accident
The U.S. Army identified the second recovered soldier from a Morocco training accident as Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, Army officials said.[1] She was 19 and from Tavares, Florida, and served as an air and missile defense crewmember with Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, based in Ansbach, Germany.[1]
After an expanded search of the cliff area, Collington's remains were found in a crevasse near Morocco's Atlantic coast, officials said.[2] Royal Moroccan Armed Forces transported her remains by helicopter to the morgue at Moulay El Hassan Military Hospital in Guelmim, and U.S. officials said both soldiers' remains are being sent home for autopsy and burial.[1]
On or about May 6, 2026, Collington and 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. fell off a cliff near the coastal town of Mirleft while hiking.[2] Moroccan search-and-rescue teams recovered Key's body shortly after the fall, while U.S. and Moroccan teams continued searching for Collington for several days.[2]
The search involved more than 1,000 U.S. and Moroccan military and civilian personnel and used aerial, maritime and unmanned systems, officials said.[1] That included a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon, unmanned aerial systems, thermal and ISR sensors, an unmanned underwater vehicle, side-scan sonar, a Moroccan multibeam echosounder and U.S. Coast Guard drift modeling.[1]
The Army has opened a line-of-duty investigation into safety briefings, supervision of off-duty activities and environmental risks at the hiking area.[2] Army officials said they had formally notified Collington's family in Florida before publicly confirming the recovery, and a U.S. Army Southern European Task Force-Africa spokesperson said the incident remains under investigation.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Wednesday, May 13, 2026, the U.S. Army identified the recovered soldier as Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington, 19, of Tavares, Florida.
- Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, part of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command based in Ansbach, Germany, was Collington's assigned unit and she served as an air and missile defense crewmember.
- Officials said Collington entered the Regular Army's Delayed Entry Program in 2023, began active duty in 2024, completed training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, reported to her unit in February 2025, and was promoted to specialist on May 1, 2026.
- The two soldiers fell off a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike on or about May 6, 2026 near Mirleft while participating in the African Lion 26 exercise; Moroccan search-and-rescue teams initially recovered 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr.'s body shortly after the fall while Collington remained missing for several days.
- After an expanded search of the cliff area, Collington's remains were found in a crevasse near the Atlantic coast of Morocco.
- The search operation involved more than 1,000 U.S. and Moroccan military and civilian personnel and used assets including a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon, unmanned aerial systems, thermal and ISR sensors, an unmanned underwater vehicle, side-scan sonar, a Moroccan multibeam echosounder, and U.S. Coast Guard drift modeling capabilities.
- The Army said the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces transported Collington's remains by helicopter to the morgue at Moulay El Hassan Military Hospital in Guelmim, and that both soldiers' remains are being transported back to the United States for autopsy and burial.
- The Army has opened a line-of-duty investigation focusing on safety briefings, supervision of off-duty activities, and environmental risks, and a U.S. Army Southern European Task Force–Africa spokesperson said the incident remains under investigation.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
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- The New York Times report confirms that Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington's remains were found in a crevasse near the Atlantic coast of Morocco after an expanded search of the cliff area where she and 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. fell during an off-duty hike on or about May 6, 2026.
- The article adds that Moroccan search-and-rescue teams initially recovered Key's body shortly after the May 6 fall, while Collington remained missing for several days until U.S. and Moroccan teams widened the search zone along the rocky shoreline.
- It reports that Army officials formally notified Collington's family in Florida before publicly confirming the recovery and that both soldiers' remains are being transported back to the United States for autopsy and burial.
- The Times piece notes that African Lion 26, the exercise the unit had been participating in before the accident, involved roughly 8,100 troops from the U.S. and partner nations and that the hike took place during authorized off‑duty time near the coastal town of Mirleft.
- The article specifies that the Army has opened a line-of-duty investigation focused on safety briefings, supervision of off-duty activities, and environmental risks in the area where the soldiers were hiking.
- On Wednesday, May 13, 2026, the U.S. Army identified the recovered soldier as Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington, 19, of Tavares, Florida.
- The Army detailed that Collington was an air and missile defense crewmember with Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, based in Ansbach, Germany.
- Officials said Collington entered the Regular Army's Delayed Entry Program in 2023, began active duty in 2024, completed training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, reported to her unit in February 2025, and was promoted to specialist on May 1, 2026.
- The article confirms both Collington and 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. fell off a cliff during an off-duty recreational hike in Morocco after taking part in the African Lion 26 exercise.
- A U.S. Army Southern European Task Force–Africa spokesperson said the incident remains under investigation and that the search operation involved more than 1,000 U.S. and Moroccan military and civilian personnel.
- The search used a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, thermal and ISR sensors, an unmanned underwater vehicle, side-scan sonar, a Moroccan multibeam echosounder, and U.S. Coast Guard drift modeling capabilities.
- The Army said Royal Moroccan Armed Forces transported Collington's remains by helicopter to the morgue at Moulay El Hassan Military Hospital in Guelmim, Morocco, and that both soldiers' remains are en route to the United States.