The soldiers were on a group hike in Morocco when one fell into the ocean
Credit: Mosa’ab Elshamy/AP
NEED TO KNOW
- Two U.S. service members went missing in Morocco during a trip for a joint military exercise on Saturday, May 2
- The pair of U.S. Army soldiers was on a recreational hike with other service members when one fell into the ocean, prompting another to jump in, according to a report
- An extensive search operation is now entering its fourth day
As the search continues for two missing U.S. service members in Morocco, a preliminary report revealed that one of the missing soldiers jumped into the ocean to save another.
On Saturday, May 2, the two service members were participating in African Lion 2026, an annual joint military exercise held in various African countries, when they vanished near the Cap Draa Training Area, which is located next to the city of Tan Tan and the Atlantic Ocean, the U.S. Africa Command said in an initial alert.
The missing service members were U.S. Army soldiers on a recreational hike and were last seen near ocean cliffs, an anonymous U.S. defense official confirmed to the Associated Press.
In a preliminary report reviewed by CBS News, defense officials offered further clarity about what happened to the two soldiers, part of a group of service members on a hike to watch the sunset. During that evening hike, one of the soldiers fell into the ocean.
Other members of the group tried to rescue the soldier by forming a human chain with their belts, to no avail, the outlet reported. The thwarted rescue attempt prompted another soldier to jump in the water to attempt a rescue, only to be struck by a wave.
As the two soldiers tried to swim back to shore, a third service member jumped into the ocean. That person couldn't save the other two soldiers, but was able to return to shore, according to the outlet.
Credit: FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty
Following the incident, the U.S. military, Moroccan forces and African Lion forces immediately launched a search and rescue operation on the ground, in the air and on the water, officials previously announced.
“Our focus is on the service members involved and their families,” the U.S. Africa Command said. The agency and the U.S. Army did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment.
As search efforts continue, a U.S. defense official told CBS News that a Boeing P8 Poseidon maritime patrol and additional aircraft will be arriving from Italy by Tuesday afternoon local time.
African Lion is “U.S. Africa Command's largest, premier, annual exercise,” and occurs in Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia, the command said. The exercise involves more than 10,000 participants from more than a dozen nations.
Credit: FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty
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The event “aims to strengthen interoperability among participants and build readiness to respond to crises and contingencies in Africa and around the world,” according to the U.S. Africa Command.
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