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Two U.S. service members participating in the African Lion 2026 multinational military exercise were reported missing near the Cap Draa Training Area, close to the city of Tan Tan, Morocco, on May 2, U.S. Africa Command announced on Sunday.
"U.S., Moroccan, and other assets from African Lion immediately initiated coordinated search and rescue operations, including ground, air, and maritime assets," AFRICOM said in a statement.
"The incident remains under investigation, and the search is ongoing," the statement noted.
AFRICOM did not provide further details on the circumstances of the disappearance or the identities of the missing service members.
"Our focus is on the service members involved and their families," the command said, noting, "Additional information will be provided as it becomes available."
African Lion is the U.S. Africa Command's largest annual joint exercise. It is designed to strengthen interoperability among U.S. forces, NATO allies, and African partner nations.
The exercise is hosted by Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia. It focuses on joint all-domain operations, crisis response, and multinational cooperation.
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