U.S. rescues missing crew member in Iran after fighter jet shot down
“WE GOT HIM!” President Donald Trump posted Sunday just after midnight, announcing the safe return of the missing airman and those who risked their lives to save him.
April 5, 2026 Washington Post
By Alex Horton, Tara Copp and Ellen Nakashima
U.S. forces have rescued the missing crew member of a fighter jet that was shot down over Iran, and all personnel involved in the rescue have returned safely, President Donald Trump announced early Sunday, bringing to a close the most perilous moment yet for troops in the war.
“WE GOT HIM!” the president said in a post on Truth Social just after midnight, describing the operation as one of the most “daring” search-and-rescue operations in U.S. history. The airman, a weapons system officer of the two-seater fighter aircraft, was in enemy territory for about two days in unforgiving terrain as Iranian forces and militiamen drew nearer. The airman was injured, Trump said, but is expected to recover.
The intense search-and-rescue operation launched Friday after the Air Force F-15E jet crashed and both crew members ejected. The pilot was quickly found and recovered alive, triggering an extensive mission to locate the weapons officer that involved dozens of aircraft, Trump said, along with Special Operations troops and other personnel trained to operate in dangerous environments to rescue fellow service members.
The operation was high risk, with U.S. C-130s and rescue helicopters flying low and slow over Iran’s mountainous terrain to locate the missing airman. As the search was ongoing, Iranian television broadcast a statement offering a reward for the recovery of the downed crew members. Another broadcast called on residents to “target” any Americans they found. IRIB, the state broadcaster, said on social media that “many people” had gone to the crash site and that the Iranian military had “called on the people NOT TO LET anyone mistreat the pilot.”
Around the same time that the fighter jet was shot down on Friday, an A-10 Thunderbolt II attack plane was struck by incoming fire from Iran. Before ejecting, the pilot was able to get the aircraft to Kuwaiti airspace and was also rescued Friday.
In addition, two of the rescue helicopters that had been searching for the missing F-15 crew member took ground fire by Iran during the operation. Some of the service members on board were injured, but all returned safely to base, U.S. officials earlier told The Washington Post. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
The incident marked the first known instance of an American crewed aircraft being brought down inside hostile territory since the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran began five weeks ago.
Combat search-and-rescue operations are some of the riskiest missions carried out by the U.S. military. Aircrews and recovery personnel are on constant standby for such operations, which involve rushing into rapidly evolving and chaotic environments.
By Alex Horton Alex Horton is a national security reporter for The Washington Post focused on the U.S. military. He served in Iraq as an Army infantryman.
By Tara CoppTara Copp is a national reporter focused on the military and national security. She has covered U.S. military operations across the globe.
By Ellen NakashimaEllen Nakashima is an intelligence and national security reporter at The Washington Post. She's been a member of three Pulitzer prizewinning teams, for probing the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, Russian interference in the 2016 election, and the hidden scope of government surveillance.
