SouthernWorldwide.com – A search operation is currently underway in southern Morocco for two U.S. service members who have been reported missing. The incident occurred off the coast of the North African nation during routine annual training exercises.
According to a defense official who spoke with CBS News, the soldiers were last observed near ocean cliffs close to the Cap Draa Training Area. Initial indications suggest they may have fallen into the ocean, the official stated.
Sources familiar with the situation told CBS News that the incident is believed to have been a hiking accident, and there is no suspicion of foul play. It has also been clarified that the accident was not connected to the ongoing training exercise.
Defense officials have confirmed to CBS News that both missing service members are U.S. Army soldiers. The identities of the soldiers and additional details regarding the incident have not yet been released.
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The search effort involves ground teams, aerial assets, and maritime units from the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces, U.S. Armed Forces, and other participants in the African Lion exercise, according to the defense official.
The training exercise, known as African Lion, was halted on Sunday. U.S. and Moroccan assets were redirected to focus on the search and rescue operation, officials informed a CBS News crew present at the scene.
CBS News reporters, who were embedded with the U.S. military, were in their tents around 9 p.m. local time on Saturday evening when a base-wide headcount was conducted. Helicopters were heard throughout the night as the search commenced.
On Sunday morning, the reporters observed various aircraft, including planes, helicopters, and drones, operating in the coastal area. This indicated the scale and intensity of the ongoing search efforts.
African Lion is recognized as the largest annual joint military exercise spearheaded by AFRICOM, one of the eleven unified combatant commands under the U.S. Department of Defense. This exercise brings together thousands of military personnel.
Participants include troops from the United States, various African partner nations, and NATO allies. The objective is to train for contemporary warfare across multiple domains: land, air, sea, cyber, and space.
This year’s iteration of the exercise involves over 7,000 personnel drawn from more than 30 different nations. There is a significant and increasing emphasis on advanced technologies.
These technologies include drones, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence, as reported by the Associated Press. The exercise reflects a commitment to modernizing military capabilities.
The training takes place in a vast desert landscape. This area is where the Sahara Desert converges with the Atlantic Ocean, situated near the Cap Draa Training Area. The location is just outside the city of Tan Tan.
In a previous incident in 2012, two U.S. Marines tragically lost their lives during a helicopter crash. This occurred while they were participating in the African Lion exercise, according to the Associated Press. Two other Marines sustained injuries in that incident.
