The U.S. military is conducting a second day of search operations for a missing crew member from an F-15 fighter jet shot down by Iran. Iranian military authorities have also reportedly joined the search effort.
U.S. Black Hawk Helicopter Draws Fire During Search, Escapes
The U.S. military continued searching on the second day for the missing crew member of the F-15E Strike Eagle, the New York Times reported on Sunday (local time). Citing U.S. and Israeli officials, the NYT said a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter deployed to find the missing service member came under fire believed to have been from Iranian forces before escaping.
Iranian military authorities have also launched their own search for the missing American. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has sealed off the southwestern area of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, where the crew member is believed to have landed. India's NDTV reported that Iranian military authorities have publicly offered a bounty for anyone who captures the missing U.S. service member alive and hands the person over to military or police authorities.
A day earlier, a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down by IRGC anti-aircraft fire and crashed. Of the two crew members aboard, one was rescued, but the U.S. military believes the other ejected from the aircraft. The Washington Post reported that U.S. HH-60G search-and-rescue helicopters were mobilized, with experts noting that KC-130 tanker aircraft appeared to be accompanying them to provide refueling support.
