Morocco: The bodies of the two US soldiers who were missing found
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced Wednesday evening the discovery of the second body of the two US soldiers who went missing on May 2nd on a rocky cliff in the “Cap Draa” area of Tan-Tan, during the African Lion drills, organized in cooperation between the US Armed Forces in partnership with their Moroccan counterparts.
AFRICOM explained on its website that the body found on May 12 belonged to Private Maria Simon Collington, (19), from Tavares, Florida.
She added that the deceased joined the Deferred Enlistment Program for Regular Service in the US Army in 2023, before beginning her active service in 2024.
She completed basic and advanced individual training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as a member of the air and missile defense crew in the military specialty.
For its part, the High Command of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces stated that the location and retrieval of the US soldier’s body was carried out by elements of the Royal Armed Forces, Civil Protection, and the US Armed Forces.
The command added in a statement that following the farewell ceremony for the bodies of Private Maria and Private Junior at the military airport in Guelmim, they were repatriated on the night of May 12, 2026, aboard a US military aircraft.
The announcement of the discovery of Private Maria Simone Collington’s body comes days after the announcement of the discovery of the body of First Lieutenant Kendrick Lamont K. Jones, (27), from Richmond, Virginia, who had disappeared with her earlier this month.
The African Lion drills began on April 27 in Agadir and concluded on May 8 near Tan-Tan.
They saw the participation of about 5,000 military personnel from more than 40 countries, in addition to experts specializing in the fields of security and defense.
