More than 600 military personnel from multiple nations are searching for two U.S. soldiers who went missing off Morocco's coast during joint military exercises. The operation, now in its fifth day, focuses on underwater caves and a vast stretch of the Atlantic Ocean near Tan-Tan, southwestern Morocco.
The soldiers disappeared last week near the Cap Draa training area. Authorities believe they were on a recreational hike and may have fallen into the ocean. One soldier, who could not swim, fell in around 9 p.m. local time. Others formed a human chain with belts to rescue him, but failed. A second soldier jumped in to help but was hit by a wave; a third entered the water but could not reach them and returned to safety.
The search covers over 17 square miles of coastal and open-ocean areas. Assets include a Moroccan frigate, a French supply vessel, U.S. aircraft, Moroccan helicopters, and unmanned aerial systems. The Moroccan Navy released footage of divers, aircraft, and canine teams combing the shoreline.
The soldiers were part of African Lion 26, a U.S.-led exercise involving over 7,000 personnel from 30 nations, running from April across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal. It concludes on Friday. A U.S. defense official stated, 'Our two soldiers and their families remain our absolute priority.'
