Trump confirms: Second American crew member rescued from downed fighter jet in Iran operation
The second crew member was extracted after more than a day as special forces completed a complex mission to locate and evacuate him
US forces have rescued the second crew member of a fighter jet shot down over Iran, with all personnel involved in the operation safely exiting the country, concluding a complex search and rescue mission conducted behind enemy lines, according to US officials cited by multiple American outlets.
The aircraft, an F-15E Strike Eagle, was struck over southwest Iran on Thursday night, forcing both the pilot and the weapons systems officer to eject. According to officials, both crew members established communication after ejecting. The pilot was rescued within hours, while it took more than a day to locate and extract the second crew member.
US officials said the operation involved a specialized commando unit supported by extensive air cover. “It was a very complex operation to retrieve the downed service member,” a source briefed on the mission said. Multiple branches of the US military took part in the effort, which included deployments on the ground in Iran over two days.
According to Fox News, the second crew member used Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape training to avoid capture, moving away from the crash site and activating an emergency beacon. The individual reportedly hid in elevated terrain while US forces worked to locate him.
The crew member is a weapons systems officer (WSO), responsible for managing the aircraft’s weapons, targeting systems, and mission coordination during combat operations.
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Axios reported that Iranian forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were also deployed to the area in an attempt to locate the crew member. US airstrikes were conducted to prevent Iranian forces from reaching the site during the rescue effort. Officials said no US personnel were killed in the operation.
In a post on Truth Social following the reports, Donald Trump said the US had “pulled off one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history,” confirming that the crew member, whom he described as a “highly respected Colonel,” was “now SAFE and SOUND.” Trump stated the operation involved “dozens of aircraft” and was carried out under continuous monitoring by senior military leadership, adding that the service member had sustained injuries but “will be just fine.”
He also said the mission followed the earlier rescue of the aircraft's pilot, which had not been immediately disclosed, and described the back-to-back recoveries as unprecedented “deep in enemy territory.” Trump added that the operation demonstrated “overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies” and reiterated that “WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND.”