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More than 600 military personnel from several countries are involved in the search for two U.S. soldiers who went missing in Morocco during the U.S.-African «African Lion 26» military exercises.
Search teams, which include personnel from the United States, Morocco, and other African Lion participants, have covered more than 45 square kilometers of coastal and open ocean areas, a U.S. defense official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
«Our two soldiers and their families remain our absolute priority», the official said.
On Wednesday, Moroccan military sources said several specialized FAR units, including the Royal Gendarmerie, the Royal Navy, the Atlas Hunters, and military engineering units, had deployed significant land, air, and maritime resources as part of ongoing search operations near a cliff in Cap Draa. Royal Navy divers were also conducting searches inside caves located around the area.
The Associated Press reported that two naval vessels involved in the maritime component of the drills had been reassigned to the search mission, including a Moroccan European multi-mission frigate and a French multipurpose supply vessel. A U.S. logistics vessel is also supporting the search while continuing to assist with the exercises, the same source added.
The aerial search operation includes a U.S. UC-35 Citation jet, a U.S. Army C-12 Huron aircraft, and Moroccan Puma and Super Puma helicopters. Technology companies participating in the exercises have also deployed unmanned aerial systems to monitor the search area.
The two U.S. Army members disappeared last week near the Cap Draa training area outside Tan-Tan, in southwestern Morocco. According to the Moroccan military, they are believed to have been on a recreational hike and may have fallen into the Atlantic Ocean.
African Lion 26, launched in April across Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal, brings together more than 7,000 military personnel from over 30 countries. The U.S.-led drills, considered the largest joint military exercises in Africa, are scheduled to conclude on Friday.
