Mariyah Symone Collington, photographed prior to her promotion to a U.S. Army specialist. (U.S. Army)
The remains of the second U.S. Army soldier who went missing May 2 while off duty from military training in Morocco have been recovered, military officials said Wednesday.
The Army identified the soldier as Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington, 19, of Tavares, Fla.
Royal Moroccan Armed Forces flew her remains by helicopter to the Moulay El Hassan Military Hospital in Guelmim, Morocco, according to a statement from Europe and Africa Command.
Collington served as an air and missile defense crewmember with Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, according to the Army.
“The loss of Spc. Collington is a profound loss for the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command,” unit commander Brig. Gen. Curtis King said in the release. “Her recovery closes the search for our two missing Soldiers, but our commitment to caring for their Families, friends, and teammates continues. We are grateful to the U.S. and Moroccan forces for their professionalism and support throughout the search efforts.”
Collington entered the Regular Army’s Delayed Entry Program in 2023 before beginning active-duty service in 2024. She completed Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Okla., as a 14P air and missile defense crewmember.
She reported to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, in Ansbach, Germany, in February 2025 and was promoted to specialist on May 1.
“Spc. Collington was a bright light in this battalion,” battalion commander Lt. Col. Chris Couch said in the release. “To the Soldiers who knew her best and served alongside her each day, she was a treasured friend whose loss leaves a deep and profound void on our team.”
Her awards and decorations include the Army Service Ribbon.
The announcement follows the May 9 recovery of the remains of another soldier, 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 14A Air Defense Artillery officer.
The two soldiers fell off an oceanside cliff during an off-duty recreational hike in Morocco, according to the Army. They were reported missing May 2 after participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise held in Morocco.
A combined recovery team found and retrieved Collington on Tuesday from a coastal cave roughly 550 yards from where both soldiers reportedly entered the ocean, according to the command’s release.
“Challenging ocean conditions, coastal terrain and the cave’s accessibility complicated search and recovery operations throughout the effort,” the command said.
More than 1,000 U.S. and Moroccan military and civilian personnel took part in the search operation.
