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Wounded U.S. Pilot Treks Mountains for 36 Hours, Evades Iranian Militia Before Rescue
A wounded American airman stranded deep inside hostile territory in Iran triggered a high-risk rescue mission as US forces raced against time to extract him before advancing enemy fighters could capture him.
The officer, a weapons systems operator flying an F-15 fighter jet, ejected over southwest Iran after his aircraft went down. Injured and alone, he navigated harsh mountainous terrain, eventually hiding in a narrow crevice while armed local fighters searched for him, reportedly motivated by a reward for his capture.
Despite a damaged leg, the airman relied on Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training to stay hidden during what became a 36-hour manhunt.
Former Royal Air Force pilot and security specialist Mikey Kay described the urgency of the situation, saying: “This was a race for time and literally every second counted. As time goes by, there is an exponential decay of success.”
As the threat intensified, the United States deployed significant military assets to locate and extract the officer. The operation involved multiple aircraft, including AC-130 gunships, A-10 Warthogs, MH-6 attack helicopters, and surveillance drones, alongside special forces teams.
Kay explained the scale of the response: “The idea of the weapons systems operator getting into the hands of the Iranians clearly really did focus the minds of the Pentagon.” Iranian forces, including members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were closing in rapidly, supported by drones, radar systems, and surface-to-air missile capabilities.
“The Iranian forces got within about two miles of the downed weapons system operator,” Kay said, highlighting how close the search teams came. To buy time, US intelligence reportedly launched a misinformation campaign, spreading rumours that the airman had already been captured and moved, in an effort to disrupt the search.
Meanwhile, efforts to locate him were complicated by terrain, as his emergency beacon signal was weakened by his position in a ravine. Intelligence teams were eventually able to geolocate his position and relay coordinates for extraction.
Once confirmed, special operations forces launched a combat rescue mission. Helicopters flew in at low altitude while jets and gunships secured the area, mitigating threats from fighters equipped with man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS).
“MANPADS can be an absolute nightmare for aviation assets trying to locate a downed airman,” Kay noted. Commandos reached the airman, verified his identity using secure protocols, and evacuated him by helicopter to Kuwait for medical treatment.
In a final complication, two US aircraft involved in the operation became stranded in sand at a remote air base. Additional planes were dispatched to recover personnel, and the stranded aircraft were destroyed to prevent sensitive equipment from falling into enemy hands
“Those aircraft have a lot of very sensitive equipment capability on them,” Kay said, explaining the decision to destroy them. The mission ultimately succeeded in rescuing the airman despite the intense risks and rapidly closing threat.
The frontline Presidential aspirant for 2027 and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, on Monday led top Igbo leaders to the, Maitiama Abuja home of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The meeting lasted for about two hours and was attended by some South East leaders, including former Enugu State governor, Dr Okwesilize Nwodo, his Imo State counterpart, Chief Achike Udenwa, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, Senators Ben Obi and Victor Umeh, among others.
Obi who spoke to journalists after the meeting, disclosed that it was in continuation of consultations with former national leaders in the country regarding his presidential ambition.
The former Labour Party candidate is seeking the ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying they have not yet come for endorsement but for consultations and exchange of views.
Obi explained that the meeting was part of his consultations with former leaders.
“We need to consult them, especially someone like him (Jonathan) who served the country very faithfully, focused, and did what is expected in a democracy. In this declining situation, you consult him,” he said.
Obi had earlier visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, among others, as part of his engagements with former Nigerian leaders.
He refused to disclose in detail, the outcome of the meeting, but simply added that Jonathan wished the country well.
“He wished that we had a free, fair, credible election.
“There can’t be a one-party system. He cannot support such a thing. Nobody can claim to be more of a democrat in this country than Jonathan,” Obi said.
He however stated that the former president has not endorsed him for president in 2027 because he has not come for that.
“We’re not talking about an endorsement yet. When I become a candidate, I’ll come back for endorsement. He wishes the country well. We are here to consult with him,” he added.
Mr. Suage Badey, son of late Chief Albert Badey, former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, says peace and reconciliation remain the only pathway to sustainable development in Ogoni land.
Badey made the assertion on Saturday in Port Harcourt at the 90th posthumous birthday celebration of his father, alongside the unveiling of the Albert Badey Centre for Development and its inaugural lecture.
He said that the era of grievances and acrimony in Ogoni land should give way to unity and collective progress.
“This is the time to move forward. We have no more grudges in our hearts. There is no need for continuous acrimony,” he said.
Badey urged Ogoni leaders to embrace dialogue in resolving differences, stressing that unity was critical to the advancement of the people.
“As we move into peace, the lives of those committed to this course should not be endangered,” he added.
In case you had forgotten, Chief Albert Badey and three other prominent Ogoni leaders were killed on May 21, 1994, during a meeting at Giokoo in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers.
Badey described his late father as a committed public servant who contributed significantly to the development of Ogoni land.
He said his father played key roles in the creation of four local government areas for the Ogoni people and the siting of a state polytechnic in Bori.
“If my father were alive, he would have called for forgiveness, even for those who took his life,” he said.
Badey said the establishment of the Albert Badey Centre for Development was aimed at immortalising his father and promoting development initiatives in the area.
“This project is inspired by his sacrifices and dedication to the people,” he said.
The court fixed April 29, April 30, May 4, and May 5 for the commencement of trial proceedings and the hearing of bail applications filed by the defendants.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has granted an accelerated hearing in the trial of six suspects accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The court fixed April 29, April 30, May 4, and May 5 for the commencement of trial proceedings and the hearing of bail applications filed by the defendants.
During proceedings, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution had witnesses available, subject to the convenience of the court.
Counsel for the first defendant, Mohammed Ilayepo, indicated that his client’s bail application was due for a hearing.
Justice Abdulmalik, however, ruled that the trial would commence before any bail applications were considered.
Counsel for the second, third, and sixth defendants, Paul Erokoro, A. I. Yeru, and N. S. Diri, respectively, expressed reservations about their readiness to proceed, citing the short notice given to them and the complex nature of the case.
Justice Abdulmalik then directed all counsel to agree on dates suitable for a speedy trial.
The court subsequently fixed the hearing dates for the accelerated trial.
The Federal Government had last Wednesday arraigned the suspects.
The defendants, including Major General Ibrahim Gana (retd), who was in a wheelchair; retired naval captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani, pleaded not guilty to the 13-count charge when it was read in their hearing.
Following their plea of not guilty, Fagbemi asked that they be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and for an expeditious trial.
Justice Abdulmalik, therefore, ordered an accelerated trial and that the defendants be placed in the custody of the DSS.
The case was adjourned to April 27 for trial and an accelerated hearing.
The government filed a 13-count charge against the suspects last Tuesday before the court against the suspects.
Also listed in the charge, but said to be at large, was a former Minister of Petroleum, Timiprye Sylva.
The charge, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), accused the defendants of offences ranging from alleged treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired in 2025 “to levy war against the state to overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
Earlier, journalists were barred from covering the trial of six alleged coup plotters, raising concerns about the transparency in handling the matter.
Judiciary correspondents were on Monday left uncertain about developments in the case, particularly as the suspects’ bail application was pending before the court.
2027: Obi, Igbo leaders, consult with Jonathan in a closed-door meeting in Abuja
Peace, Reconciliation Only Path To Progress In Ogoni land — Badey
Court Grants Accelerated Hearing In Trial Of Alleged Coup Plotters
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