Two U.S. service members participating in the multinational African Lion 2026 exercise were reported missing near the Cap Draa Training Area in southwestern Morocco on Saturday, May 2.

U.S. Africa Command announced the incident on Sunday, stating the service members were last seen around 9 p.m. local time near ocean cliffs close to the city of Tan Tan. The hike occurred after the day's training activities had concluded, according to a U.S. defense official.

A joint search and rescue operation was launched immediately, involving U.S., Moroccan, and other African Lion participants. Assets include ground teams, helicopters, ships, mountain rescue units, and divers operating in the rugged, mountainous terrain of desert and semidesert plains near the Atlantic Ocean. The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces first reported the disappearance via social media and coordinated with allies.

AFRICOM stated: "The incident remains under investigation and the search is ongoing. Our focus is on the service members involved and their families." No names or branches have been released pending the operation's outcome.

African Lion 2026, the largest U.S. Africa Command-led exercise on the continent, involves more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 nations across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal. The Morocco phase began late last month and was set to continue into early May, emphasizing interoperability and regional security. The exercise temporarily redirected resources to support the search.

As of Sunday afternoon, no further updates were available, and officials directed questions to AFRICOM public affairs.