Washington: President Donald Trump on Sunday confirmed that a second US crew member from a downed F-15E Strike Eagle in Iran has been successfully recovered, following what he described as one of the most daring search and rescue missions in American military history.
Earlier, a report by Al Jazeera had stated that the missing crew member — unaccounted for nearly two days after the aircraft was brought down — had been located and rescued after intense fighting in hostile terrain.
The F-15E Strike Eagle was carrying two personnel — a pilot and a weapons systems officer. While one crew member had been rescued shortly after the incident, the second remained missing, triggering a complex and high-stakes recovery effort.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump announced the development, stating, “We got him! 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!”
He further elaborated on the circumstances surrounding the operation, saying, “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.”
The US President added that the rescue mission involved a significant deployment of American military assets.
“At my direction, the US Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the World, to retrieve him. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine. This miraculous Search and Rescue Operation comes in addition to a successful rescue of another brave Pilot, yesterday, which we did not confirm, because we did not want to jeopardise our second rescue operation,” he said.
Highlighting the broader significance of the mission, Trump claimed, “This is the first time in military memory that two US Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory. We will never leave American warfighter behind! 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.”
He also described the operation as a moment of national unity, stating, “This is a moment that all Americans, Republican, Democrat, and everyone else, should be proud of and united around. We truly have the best, most professional, and lethal Military in the History of the World.”
According to Iranian media reports, the F-15E aircraft was targeted over central Iran and is believed to have gone down in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.
Iranian forces had launched a large-scale search operation to locate the missing crew member and had reportedly announced a reward of $60,000 for any information leading to his capture.
(IANS)
