US Airman Survives 36 Hours in Iranian Mountains After F-15E Crash
A US F-15E weapons officer endured 36 hours hiding in Iran’s Zagros Mountains after his aircraft was shot down on Friday. Despite serious injuries, he managed to climb more than 1.3 miles and evade Iranian forces, who were reportedly motivated by a $60,000 bounty on his head. Armed only with a handgun, he remained hidden in a mountain crevice while awaiting rescue.
The pilot of the F-15E was rescued shortly after the crash, but extracting the weapons officer required a daring and highly coordinated operation. Early Sunday, the airman sent an emergency signal from his hiding spot, which helped US forces pinpoint his location. Before his extraction, he reportedly sent a brief radio message saying, “God is good,” which US officials noted as a remarkable sign of his resilience.
With the assistance of the CIA, military officials tracked the officer’s equipment to confirm his exact location. To help the rescue, the US also carried out a diversion, spreading false intelligence that the airman had already been rescued and was leaving Iran.
The rescue involved dozens of aircraft and MQ-9 Reaper drones providing air cover, striking any hostile forces approaching within two miles. The operation deployed around 100 Special Operations personnel, including SEAL Team 6, Delta Force commandos, and Army Rangers on standby. In addition, US commandos engaged in skirmishes with local tribesmen during the search.
The mission faced last-minute challenges when two aircraft became stuck south of Isfahan. Additional US planes were dispatched to extract the stranded forces, and the trapped vehicles were destroyed to prevent capture.
After the successful extraction, the injured airman was flown to Kuwait for medical treatment. President Trump praised the rescue, highlighting the operation’s complexity and the bravery of the airman and US forces involved. A White House news conference was scheduled for Monday to discuss the mission and its successful outcome.
