Search Continues For Missing U.S. Airman From Downed F-15 In Iran

The search for the second crew member of a downed U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle in Iran, which is believed to have been caused by enemy fire, has entered its second day.

The aircraft, assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron of the 48th Fighter Wing and based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, carried a two-person crew consisting of a pilot and a weapon systems officer. Both crew members ejected safely from the aircraft, U.S. military officials with knowledge of the situation told The New York Times.

Iranian state media released images of wreckage, including portions of the wingtip and vertical stabilizer, which U.S. officials and independent analyses confirmed as consistent with an F-15E Strike Eagle. The downing occurred in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, an area that was subsequently closed off by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps for search operations.

The incident marked the first time a manned U.S. aircraft was downed over Iranian territory since the conflict began on February 28.

U.S. forces managed to recover one crew member not long after the aircraft went down. The individual was rescued alive by American special operations personnel and taken out of Iran for medical treatment.

Videos circulating online showed several low-flying U.S. helicopters and other military aircraft as part of the search and rescue operation on Friday. Multiple U.S. service members were wounded by small arms fire during the rescue of the first crew member.

U.S. Air Force HH-60G “Pave Hawk” Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) Helicopters continue to fly over Southern Iran, as the search continues for the second crewmember, the Weapon Systems Officer (WSO), onboard an American F-15E Strike Eagle downed earlier today over Iran. pic.twitter.com/ibpWMw1c5b

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 3, 2026

Operations continued through the afternoon and evening as U.S. teams, supported by intelligence from Israel, worked to cover the crash site and surrounding mountainous areas. The Israeli Air Force postponed planned strikes in the vicinity to facilitate the search, according to an Israeli official.

As of the morning of Saturday, April 4, search and rescue efforts to locate the missing airman remain ongoing.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that President Trump “had been briefed” on the situation but did not provide additional details. Pentagon and U.S. Central Command officials have not released further details on the timeline or specific assets involved in the current phase of the operation.

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