President Donald Trump has confirmed that US forces have located and brought to safety the missing pilot from an American fighter jet that was shot down over Iran.
Posting in the early hours of Sunday morning (April 5), Trump announced: “WE GOT HIM!”
He continued: “My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in US History, for one of our incredible Crew Member Officers, who also happens to be a highly respected Colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND!”
CBS News was first to report that an American F-15 had been downed, after Iran’s state media claimed Iranian forces shot the aircraft out of the sky.
A US-led search began straight away, with social media images appearing to show a refuelling aircraft in action and two helicopters flying at low altitude over Iran’s Khuzestan Province.
US officials told CBS News that one member of the crew had been recovered after the incident, while efforts were still underway to locate a second crew member who had been on board.
Trump later said the pilot had now been rescued, adding: “He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine.
“… The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a SINGLE American killed, or even wounded, just proves once again, that we have achieved overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies.”
Reports say the crew member avoided capture and endured harsh conditions on the ground until the rescue team reached him.
After the extraction, The New York Times reports the pilot and the personnel involved were taken to Kuwait, where he was treated for his injuries.
Trump added: “This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour, but was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue,”
It has also been reported that Iranian authorities were searching for the downed pilot at the same time. Officials described the recovery as highly difficult, with the publication citing the scale of the mission — involving hundreds of special operations personnel, plus aircraft, helicopters, and specialist technology — and adding that no one was injured during the operation.