How the rescue of the 2nd F-15E airman in Iran unfolded
How the rescue of the 2nd F-15E airman in Iran unfolded
LUIS MARTINEZ, CINDY SMITH and DAVID BRENNANSun, April 5, 2026 at 2:52 PM UTC
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On Friday, it emerged that an F-15E, an advanced U.S. fighter jet, had been shot down over Iran – the first American plane downed by enemy fire in the war.
One pilot had been rescued, officials told ABC News, but a desperate search-and-rescue mission was underway for the second crew member of the two-seater aircraft.
For two days, there was no word about the search. Then overnight Sunday, officials said the second crewman had been recovered.
The airman, a colonel, had been trapped in the "treacherous mountains of Iran" with the Iranian military closing in, President Donald Trump said. What unfolded was a massive operation that involved confusing the Iranian forces through misdirection, leading to the rescue "deep in enemy Territory."
Trump on Sunday hailed the mission as "one of the "most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History" and writing in a social media post, "WE GOT HIM!"
The crew member who was rescued was the weapon systems officer (WSO) aboard the two-seater aircraft that was downed by Iranian fire on Friday, according to a U.S. official.
The pilot of the F-15E was rescued on Friday by U.S. search and rescue personnel.
Two Black Hawk helicopters that were part of the operation that rescued the pilot also took Iranian fire as they attempted the rescue mission on Friday. There were injuries to some of the crew members, but they were able to return to safety, U.S. officials said.
USAF - PHOTO: A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft takes off for a mission during Operation Epic Fury, March 9, 2026.
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An A-10 Warthog aircraft that was providing close air support to the rescue mission on Friday was also hit by Iranian fire, but managed to make its way back to Kuwait where the pilot ejected safely before the plane crashed.
Trump said early on Sunday that the operation to rescue the second airman unfolded over several hours and involved dozens of aircraft. He said the rescued crew member sustained injuries "but he will be just fine," Trump said, adding he is "SAFE and SOUND!"
Later on Sunday morning, Trump said the recovered airman was "seriously wounded."
"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," Trump wrote.
Trump said the earlier rescue of the F-15E pilot was not confirmed on Friday to not jeopardize the rescue mission for the weapon systems officer.
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"This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory," Trump said in the post. "WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND!"
Iran State Media - PHOTO: A photo posted on Iranian State Media, appears to show an F-15 ejection seat following the reports of two pilots ejecting from their planes over Iran. April 3, 2025.
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Two C-130 aircraft that were part of the rescue mission became stuck at a location inside of Iran during the operation, two U.S. officials told ABC News. U.S. forces deliberately destroyed the disabled aircraft so they would not fall into Iranian hands, they said.
Four MH-6 Little Bird helicopters used in the rescue mission were also intentionally destroyed by U.S. forces, according to a U.S. official. The helicopters had been used to ferry U.S. military personnel from the landing strip, where the MC-130J’s had landed, to the mountainous area where the crewmember was located, the official said.
The two C-130s were blown up because they both had mechanical issues, one of the officials said. Both the aircraft that were destroyed were MC-130Js, which are specifically designed for special operations missions.
As a result, three additional replacement aircraft had to be flown into Iran to take the airman and the rescue teams out of the country, both officials said.
"The Iranian Military was looking hard, in big numbers, and getting close," Trump said of Tehran's search for the airman. "This type of raid is seldom attempted because of the danger to 'man and equipment.' It just doesn’t happen!"
"The second raid came after the first one, where we rescued the pilot in broad daylight, also unusual, spending seven hours over Iran. An AMAZING show of bravery and talent by all!" Trump further wrote.
The president said Sunday that he will host a press conference on Monday at 1 p.m. ET to discuss the operation.
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The CIA also played a role in the rescue of the second F-15E crew member, a senior administration official told ABC News.
Before the downed airman was located and rescued, the official said, the CIA "launched a deception campaign spreading word inside Iran that U.S. forces had already found him and were moving him on the ground for exfiltration out of the country."
The agency helped pinpoint the airman's location, according to the official, who called it the ultimate “needle in a haystack” to find the airman inside a mountain crevice. That information was then passed onto the Pentagon and White House to launch the rescue operation, the official said.
"The president ordered an immediate rescue mission, which the DoW executed with boldness and precision, with CIA continuing to provide real time information," the official added.
ABC News' Isabella Murray contributed to this report.
Source: “AOL Breaking”
