Body of second missing US soldier recovered in Morocco

The body of the second of two US soldiers reported missing during an international training exercise in Morocco has been recovered, the US Army said Wednesday.

The pair disappeared near a cliff on the Atlantic coast while taking part in the African Lion 2026 military exercises.

The remains of the two servicemembers -- including 19-year-old specialist Mariyah Collington whose body was found in a coastal cave on Tuesday -- were transferred to a Moroccan military hospital and then loaded onto a US Air Force C-130 plane for repatriation.

The two bodies "are en route to the United States," the US Army said in a statement.

A massive week-long land, air and sea search was launched by the United States military, Moroccan and allied forces in the Cap Draa Training Area after the service members went missing last Saturday.

"Search and rescue operations have concluded. With both Soldiers accounted for, the focus shifts to recovery and repatriation," the US Army said.

"The incident remains under investigation."

More than 1,000 US and Moroccan military and civil personnel took part in the search, covering 21,300 square kilometers (8,200 square miles), it added.

Last week a US military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the two soldiers may have fallen into the sea, pointing to the likelihood of an accident and ruling out terrorism.