Crew member rescued after US plane crashes in Iran

2026-04-03 21:28:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

A crew member has been shot down by US forces after a US fighter jet crashed in Iran, a US official told Radio Free Europe. The search and rescue operation for the second crew member is ongoing.

This is the first time a US military aircraft has been shot down by Iran since the start of the war on February 28.

The announcements from US officials come hours after Iran said on April 3 that it had shot down a US plane and offered a reward for Iranian nationals who capture the crew members.

US officials told REL that the downed plane was an F-15E, with two seats.

CBS, Reuters, and Israeli media, citing US officials, also reported that one crew member had been rescued. Some media outlets reported that special operations forces were involved in the rescue effort.

The US military has not commented, while the White House said only that US President Donald Trump has been briefed on the matter.

Separately, another US official later said that another US fighter jet crashed in the Persian Gulf and the sole pilot was rescued.

If any American pilot were captured by Iranian forces, it would seriously escalate tensions, which are already high, and likely complicate US efforts to completely destroy Tehran's military assets and force the regime to agree to the terms for peace presented by President Trump.

Israel has postponed planned strikes on Iran so as not to interfere with efforts to rescue the American pilot, Western officials told reporters.

Search and rescue strategy
Asked what a potential search and rescue operation might involve, Richard Allen Williams, a retired US Army colonel and former NATO official, told REL that such missions are usually well-coordinated and protected.

He explained that commanders would most likely send a special aircraft for aerial surveillance of the operation, supported by air security assets and ground forces capable of providing fire support if needed.

These units would work to secure the crash site, while rescue teams would follow the downed aircraft's GPS signal.

He added that additional aircraft and reserve resources would remain on standby to respond quickly to any escalation or complications.

Reuters, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets have also cited unidentified sources reporting on the plane crash and the search for the crew.

"Military forces have launched a search operation to find the American pilot we shot down earlier today," reported the Iranian news agency Fars, which is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

While US military aircraft have been shot down or hit by Iranian missiles or drones while on the ground since the war began on February 28, the downing of the fighter jet, if officially confirmed, would be the first reported case of a US warplane being shot down by enemy fire.

On March 12, six US service members were killed when a KC-135 tanker plane crashed after a mid-air collision with another tanker plane.

Meanwhile, on March 27, an Iranian missile and drone attack hit Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, injuring at least 12 American soldiers and severely damaging at least two KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft.

Three United States Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft crashed over Kuwait on March 2 after being mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti forces. The six crew members survived by ejecting from the aircraft with parachutes./REL