Riyadh: The missing crew member of the United States Air Force F-15 fighter jet that was shot down over Iran has been rescued, US officials said.
The crew member was rescued after a fierce firefight and his exfiltration is awaited, India Today reported. US president Donald Trump has confirmed the rescue.
The fighter jet was flying over southern Iran when it was shot down on Friday. One of two crew members was rescued by US forces, but the second one could not be located immediately.
While Iran claimed that the aircraft was shot down by its air defence system, the US did not comment on the cause behind the crash.
According to BBC, the pilot of the aircraft was successfully recovered soon after the crash, but the jet’s second crew member, a weapons systems officer, could not be traced immediately.
Rescue operations continued over the last two days and involved an A-10 Warthog aircraft that was hit over the Gulf, with its pilot ejecting before being rescued.
A helicopter carrying the rescued pilot from the F-15E jet was also hit by small arms fire, injuring crew members on board – but it landed safely, the US media reported.
It has also been reported that nomadic tribes living in Iran’s mountains shot two Black Hawk helicopters that were part of the US rescue mission. This was claimed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
BBC Verify has confirmed a video from Friday showing what appears to be three armed individuals firing towards at least two Black Hawk helicopters.
While the exact location where the F-15 was reportedly downed is unconfirmed, two possible provinces have been mentioned in Iran’s state media – Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, and Khuzestan.
The mountainous south-western province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad is home to more than 700,000 people, including nomads. The nomads in the area are known to carry rifles to protect their herds and camps from wild animals and theft in the remote highlands.
Khuzestan is oil rich and has a number of industries. It is home to more than 4.7 million people, with a diverse population, including Arabs, Persians, Lors and other ethnic groups.
The rescue of crew members of a downed jet from behind enemy lines is one of the most complex operations. It is known as combat search and rescue (CSAR). The air force units behind CSAR missions include some of the most highly trained and specialised members of the military.
“It’s the most dangerous military mission that I know of,” James Jeffrey, a military strategist and top US diplomat for the Middle East, told the BBC.
“These are Air Force special operations people who are trained almost to the level of Delta Force and Navy SEAL Team Six, but they also have medical capabilities,” Jeffrey said. “They will not give up until they can find a pilot if they think there’s any chance.”
