Iranian authorities and local business leaders on Friday, April 3, offered the equivalent of $60,000 to anyone who captures and hands over a U.S. pilot from a downed F-15 fighter jet, according to reports from official and semi-official Iranian news organizations.
A regional governor in southwestern Iran issued a public plea for locals to search for the crew and promised a reward.
Separately, a representative of merchants and businesses in the area put up the cash equivalent of $60,000 for the successful handover of any pilot found alive or dead.
The offers came hours after Iranian state media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down the two-seat F-15E Strike Eagle over central or southwestern Iran.
Iranian news sites showed pictures of wreckage that experts said looked like an F-15, including an ejection seat. Later, U.S. officials confirmed that the plane had crashed and that a search-and-rescue mission had begun.
NBC News reports that one pilot from the jet has been rescued alive by U.S. forces and is receiving medical treatment, according to multiple U.S. officials speaking on condition of anonymity. A search continues for the second crew member, whose status remains unclear.
Also Read: U.S. Military Speaks After Iran Reportedly Downed Fighter Jet in the Strait of Hormuz
Iranian television channels broadcast the reward appeals directly to viewers. Some anchors urged residents in rural areas where the jet came down to turn over any “enemy pilot” to the police.
Earlier on-screen messages told people to shoot at low-flying U.S. aircraft spotted in the region. Pictures and videos later emerged on social media, showing civilians shooting the helicopters that had been deployed to rescue the pilots.
Videos shared by Iranian media showed what they described as local tribesmen firing guns at American helicopters flying low over the area. The Tehran Times and other outlets aired footage of armed men aiming upward at a helicopter.
U.S. officials have not detailed the exact conditions of the search, but the low-altitude operations are standard for trying to locate downed aircrew quickly in hostile territory.
This marks the first confirmed loss of a U.S. manned fighter jet to Iranian action since the war began in late February.
Downing of F-15 fighter jets.
Earlier incidents included an F-35 that made an emergency landing after suspected Iranian fire in March, and three F-15s that were reportedly accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti defenses near the start of the conflict. In those cases, crews were recovered safely.
The downed F-15 was part of the joint U.S.-Israeli air campaign that has conducted thousands of strikes on Iranian missile batteries, air defense systems, and nuclear-related sites.
Iran has responded with its own missile and drone attacks across the region and by trying to restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
President Trump has already been briefed on the incident, as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed.
Trump has repeatedly pressed Iran to reopen the strait, which normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and LNG shipments.
Also Read: U.S. Rescue Helicopters Come Under Fire in Iran as Search Intensifies for Downed F-15 Pilots
Earlier today, the president suggested the U.S. could secure the waterway and its oil resources if necessary, calling it a potential source of profit. His latest comments came through the White House Rapid Response account as the search unfolded.
Is the new defense system working?
Iranian media linked to the Revolutionary Guard claimed the jet was destroyed by a new advanced air defense system. It is unclear whether the new defense system is Iran-made.
Recent media reports indicated that Russia has been helping Iran behind the scenes in the ongoing war, especially with crucial intelligence that has made it possible for Iran to target military bases belonging to U.S. Forces in the Middle East.
While previous Iranian claims of shoot-downs went unconfirmed by the U.S., officials this time acknowledged the aircraft loss and the active rescue effort.
No official U.S. comment has directly addressed the reward or the ground fire.
American forces are actively working to extract any remaining personnel before Iranian security forces or civilians could locate them.
