Washington, DC, April 4
American forces have successfully retrieved a crew member from a US fighter jet that was brought down over Iran, according to a report by CNN citing three sources familiar with the situation.
The rescued individual is reportedly alive and has been placed "in US custody and receiving medical treatment," as confirmed by two of the sources.
While one person recovered, the fate of the second crew member remains uncertain. CNN reported that "search and rescue operations were ongoing" following the loss of the aircraft over Iranian territory.
Technical details provided by a US source confirmed that the downed plane was an "F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet." This specific model is a dual-role aircraft designed to execute both "air-to-air and air-to-ground missions."
As noted by CNN, these aircraft are traditionally operated by a two-person team consisting of a pilot and a weapon systems officer. Military officials continue to monitor the situation as the search for the remaining personnel persists.
The search and rescue effort followed initial reports from multiple news outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, confirming the aircraft was shot down. CNN's analysis of images released by Iranian media verified that the wreckage matches an F-15, while The Wall Street Journal cited Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, which first reported on Friday that the jet had been targeted.
Furthering these claims, IRIB shared a map on X (formerly Twitter), circling the specific region where the hunt for the two American pilots has been conducted since the morning hours. While the exact crash site remains unconfirmed, CNN geolocated footage from a bridge over the Karoon River in Khuzestan Province, roughly 470 km south of Tehran, showing low-flying aircraft and helicopters in a formation typical of air-to-air refuelling operations.
This incident marks the first time a US aircraft has been downed over Iran during the current conflict. US outlet Axios also confirmed the rescue mission was underway, as Iranian media began circulating photographs of debris, including a tail fin, which appeared to identify the jet as belonging to the 494th Fighter Squadron 'LN' based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom.
Despite the published evidence of the wreckage and the ongoing search, the US military and the White House have not yet officially commented on the status of the pilots or the circumstances of the crash. IRIB continues to maintain that the "fate of the pilots is currently unclear" as the situation develops.
- ANI
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