Donald Trump shared details about a message from a missing co-pilot that briefly made him worry the US was being lured into a trap.
Keep reading to learn more about the details.
Iranian state media had claimed that a US fighter jet was shot down Friday (April 3) over Khuzestan Province.
One co-pilot managed to eject from the F-15 and was picked up later that day by two US military helicopters. The second pilot was initially missing, but was eventually rescued over the weekend. President Donald Trump said: “My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in US History, for one of our incredible Crew Member Officers, who also happens to be a highly respected Colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND!”
He added the co-pilot was injured, but said he’ll recover.
The pilot was eventually found hiding in a mountain crevice, armed with only a small handgun.
In an interview with Axios, Trump claimed “thousands of these savages were hunting him down,” referring to Iran’s military, adding: “Even the population was looking for him. They offered people a bonus if they captured him.”
In the end, US forces were able to locate him using tech, with “beeping information” helping them lock in his position.
At one point, officials feared it might be a trap after the pilot said “Power be to God” over the radio after ejecting.
“What he said on the radio sounded like something a Muslim would say,” Trump said, noting concerns Iran could’ve been sending “false signals” to lure US troops.
He also said people who know the pilot described him as religious, so the message wasn’t out of character.
After the rescue, the pilot was taken to Kuwait for medical treatment, according to The New York Times.
Trump later said: “This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour, but was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue.”
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