U.S. forces have rescued the second crew member of adowned F-15E Strike Eagle in southwestern Iran, ending a two-day search operation after the aircraft was lost during combat.
The recovered airman was the weapon systems officer, who occupies the rear seat of the two-crew fighter. The pilot had already been rescued on Friday, shortly after the aircraft went down.
President Donald Trump announced the recovery in a late-night social media post, stating that the airman sustained injuries but was expected to recover. He described the mission as one of the most complex search-and-rescue operations carried out by U.S. forces in recent years.
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According to Trump, dozens of aircraft were deployed to locate and extract the crew member. He said no American personnel were killed or wounded during the operation.
The F-15E was lost during the conflict with Iran, marking the first confirmed combat loss of a U.S. manned aircraft in the campaign. The circumstances of the incident remain unclear. Iranian authorities claim the jet was shot down, while U.S. officials have not provided details.
Images released by Iranian media in recent days appear to show parts of the wreckage, including a vertical tail and an ejection seat. The authenticity of the material has not been independently verified.
Search-and-rescue efforts involved HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and C-130 Hercules aircraft operating at low altitude. The missing crew member is believed to have evaded capture while attempting to signal their position to incoming rescue forces.
During the initial rescue of the pilot, a Pave Hawk helicopter came under fire but was able to withdraw safely. In a separate incident,an A-10 attack aircraft was also lost near the Strait of Hormuz, with its pilot later recovered.
