Race to save US pilot shot down in Iran after Tehran offers ‘precious prize’ for their capture

The hunt is still on for a US fighter jet pilot whose aircraft was downed by Iran as the country desperately fires at more helicopters and planes.

A two-seater F-15 plane went down over Iran yesterday, with only one of the servicemen inside rescued, NBC reports.

The White House has yet to make any official statement, but images are being shared of the wreck.

A ‘precious prize’ is being offered in Iran to find the missing pilot as Tehran strikes more aircraft across the Middle East.

The anchor on the channel in Iran’s Kohkilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province read the following announcement: ‘If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a precious prize.’

A second US plane – an A-10 Thunderbolt known as a Warthog – was downed over Kuwaiti airspace.

Iranian state media shared footage which appears to show the aircraft being blown out of the sky.

The pilot managed to eject before the aircraft crashed.

A second crew member on board the F-15E jet was reportedly rescued alive by the US teams and is receiving medical treatment.

Iran has also hit two UH 60 Blackhawk helicopters involved in the search and rescue, with service members receiving minor injuries.

This marks the first time a US jet has been downed by enemy fire since the start of Operation Epic Fury.

It comes after Donald Trump said Iran had been ‘completely decimated’.

The US president refused to discuss last night the search and rescue effort for the missing pilot in Iran.

When asked if it will affect any negotiations with Iran, he replied: ‘No, not at all. No it’s war. We’re in war.’

Pentagon data has revealed the number of US service members wounded in the Iranian war has risen to 365.

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