One member of the crew from the American fighter jet that was shot down has been successfully rescued, according to US officials.
The F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft, belonging to the US Air Force’s 494th squadron stationed at RAF Lakenheath, was downed in the southern region of Iran, as confirmed by US authorities to various American media sources. Iran asserted responsibility for downing the jet during the night on Friday, with state media releasing images showing debris allegedly from the plane. Specific details about the incident’s location remain uncertain.
As per two US officials who spoke to CBS News, one of the two crew members has been rescued by US forces. The condition of the second crew member is currently unknown, prompting an ongoing search and rescue mission. Social media images, validated by BBC News, depict a refuelling plane and two helicopters conducting a low-altitude search and rescue operation over Khuzestan Province in south-west Iran.
US Central Command, responsible for overseeing military actions in the Middle East, has refrained from making any statements regarding the incident to date.
When questioned by NBC News on Friday about the impact of the F-15’s downing on peace negotiations with Iran, President Donald Trump responded, “No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war.” Trump declined to comment on the ongoing search and rescue efforts for the missing crew member, expressing frustration over the sensitive nature of media coverage regarding the operation, as reported by NBC News.
A social media account purportedly linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards shared a photo of an ejector seat in a desert. Aviation expert Justin Bronk informed The Guardian that the seat appears consistent with the ACES II model used in F-15Es. Bronk suggested that if the photo is authentic, it indicates that at least one of the aircrew members safely ejected from the aircraft.
The F-15E fighter jet is designed to accommodate two crew members: a pilot in the front and a Weapons Systems Officer in the rear. It remains undisclosed which crew member has been rescued.
The governor of Iran’s Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province in the south stated that the primary objective is to “capture” the crew of the downed jet “alive.” He mentioned that individuals who capture or eliminate enemy forces will receive special recognition from the Governor’s office, as reported by the semi-official ISNA news agency.
Meanwhile, Iranian reports indicate that traders in the region have offered a reward of 10 billion tomans (equivalent to about £50,000) for anyone who detains the American “intruder.”
