The most daring rescue ever: Step by step, how US special forces rescued downed airman
The timeline
6
Evacuation
1
Drone cover
First rescue
Mountain hiding place
2
4
Fuladshahr
3
Location of
crash
Nasrabad
Tehran
5
IRAN
Desert airstrip
1
Friday morning, April 3. Near the village of Talkhuncheh, Isfahan Province, Iran
An F-15-E Strike Eagle crashes, after seemingly being hit by an Iranian missile. There are suspicions Iran used a new advanced passive infrared missile guidance system in the attack, undetectable by the plane's warning systems. Both pilot and weapons systems officer eject.
2
The first rescue - Friday
The weapons systems officer, a lieutenant colonel, is injured during the ejection and becomes separated from the pilot. US Air Force Pararescue special forces soldiers in HH-60W Jolly Green 2 helicopters mount a rescue accompanied by MC-130J refuelling aircraft. They extract the pilot but are unable to reach the other crewman. Two helicopters are hit but escape with crew injured. An A-10 Warthog is also hit and crashes.
3
The escape - Friday into Saturday
The officer starts hiking away from the crash and evades detection. Armed with just a handgun he intermittently uses his emergency beacon. But this also risks giving his location away to Iranian pursuers. He climbs 7,000 feet up mountainous terrain and covers at least 20 kilometres.
4
In hiding - Saturday
Both Americans and Iranians hunt for the officer. He is eventually located by the CIA hiding in a mountain crevice, although it is unclear how. The CIA starts a deception operation to convince Iranians that he has already been rescued. MQ-9 Reaper drones watch over the officer and attack anyone within 3 kilometres of his location. Two drones are shot down while attacking Revolutionary Guard search parties.
5
Second rescue - Saturday morning
US special forces launch a second rescue mission with commandos from the elite SEAL Team 6, also known as DEVGRU, and land at a desert airstrip near the town of Mahyar. The SEALs fly in four MH-6 Little Birds and rescue the officer from his mountain top hiding place, before returning to the makeshift airstrip.
6
Rescue planes get stuck, third rescue launched - Saturday afternoon-evening
Two C-130 aircraft get stuck in the dirt at the desert landing strip, forcing the commandos to wait for hours as a new De Havilland Dash-8 aircraft are sent to rescue them. Drones strike Iranians approaching the airstrip. Before leaving, the SEALs blow up the two stuck aircraft and at least one helicopter then make their escape..
The timeline
6
Evacuation
1
Drone cover
First rescue
Mountain hiding place
2
4
Fuladshahr
3
Location of
crash
Nasrabad
Tehran
5
IRAN
Desert airstrip
1
Friday morning, April 3. Near the village of Talkhuncheh, Isfahan Province, Iran
An F-15-E Strike Eagle crashes, after seemingly being hit by an Iranian missile. There are suspicions Iran used a new advanced passive infrared missile guidance system in the attack, undetectable by the plane's warning systems. Both pilot and weapons systems officer eject.
0
2
The first rescue - Friday
The weapons systems officer, a lieutenant colonel, is injured during the ejection and becomes separated from the pilot. US Air Force Pararescue special forces soldiers in HH-60W Jolly Green 2 helicopters mount a rescue accompanied by MC-130J refuelling aircraft. They extract the pilot but are unable to reach the other crewman. Two helicopters are hit but escape with crew injured. An A-10 Warthog is also hit and crashes.
3
The escape - Friday into Saturday
The officer starts hiking away from the crash and evades detection. Armed with just a handgun he intermittently uses his emergency beacon. But this also risks giving his location away to Iranian pursuers. He climbs 7,000 feet up mountainous terrain and covers at least 20 kilometres.
4
In hiding - Saturday
Both Americans and Iranians hunt for the officer. He is eventually located by the CIA hiding in a mountain crevice, although it is unclear how. The CIA starts a deception operation to convince Iranians that he has already been rescued. MQ-9 Reaper drones watch over the officer and attack anyone within 3 kilometres of his location. Two drones are shot down while attacking Revolutionary Guard search parties.
5
Second rescue - Saturday morning
US special forces launch a second rescue mission with commandos from the elite SEAL Team 6, also known as DEVGRU, and land at a desert airstrip near the town of Mahyar. The SEALs fly in four MH-6 Little Birds and rescue the officer from his mountain top hiding place, before returning to the makeshift airstrip.
6
Rescue planes get stuck, third rescue launched - Saturday afternoon-evening
Two C-130 aircraft get stuck in the dirt at the desert landing strip, forcing the commandos to wait for hours as a new De Havilland Dash-8 aircraft are sent to rescue them. Drones strike Iranians approaching the airstrip. Before leaving, the SEALs blow up the two stuck aircraft and at least one helicopter then make their escape..
The timeline
6
Evacuation
1
Drone cover
First rescue
Mountain hiding place
2
4
Fuladshahr
3
Location of
crash
Nasrabad
Tehran
5
Desert airstrip
IRAN
1
Friday morning, April 3. Near the village of Talkhuncheh, Isfahan Province, Iran
An F-15-E Strike Eagle crashes, after seemingly being hit by an Iranian missile. There are suspicions Iran used a new advanced passive infrared missile guidance system in the attack, undetectable by the plane's warning systems. Both pilot and weapons systems officer eject.
2
The first rescue - Friday
The weapons systems officer, a lieutenant colonel, is injured during the ejection and becomes separated from the pilot. US Air Force Pararescue special forces soldiers in HH-60W Jolly Green 2 helicopters mount a rescue accompanied by MC-130J refuelling aircraft. They extract the pilot but are unable to reach the other crewman. Two helicopters are hit but escape with crew injured. An A-10 Warthog is also hit and crashes.
3
The escape - Friday into Saturday
The officer starts hiking away from the crash and evades detection. Armed with just a handgun he intermittently uses his emergency beacon. But this also risks giving his location away to Iranian pursuers. He climbs 7,000 feet up mountainous terrain and covers at least 20 kilometres.
4
In hiding - Saturday
Both Americans and Iranians hunt for the officer. He is eventually located by the CIA hiding in a mountain crevice, although it is unclear how. The CIA starts a deception operation to convince Iranians that he has already been rescued. MQ-9 Reaper drones watch over the officer and attack anyone within 3 kilometres of his location. Two drones are shot down while attacking Revolutionary Guard search parties.
5
Second rescue - Saturday morning
US special forces launch a second rescue mission with commandos from the elite SEAL Team 6, also known as DEVGRU, and land at a desert airstrip near the town of Mahyar. The SEALs fly in four MH-6 Little Birds and rescue the officer from his mountain top hiding place, before returning to the makeshift airstrip.
6
Rescue planes get stuck, third rescue launched - Saturday afternoon-evening
Two C-130 aircraft get stuck in the dirt at the desert landing strip, forcing the commandos to wait for hours as a new De Havilland Dash-8 aircraft are sent to rescue them. Drones strike Iranians approaching the airstrip. Before leaving, the SEALs blow up the two stuck aircraft and at least one helicopter then make their escape..