Confusion continues to surround the fate of a US fighter pilot after Iran claimed it had shot down a second American jet, with conflicting reports suggesting he may have been killed or captured.
Iranian state-run and semi-official media outlets, citing officials, said the pilot was unlikely to have survived. However, other reports indicated the possibility that he ejected and may have been taken into custody.
According to the Associated Press, a regional Iranian state television channel reported that a US pilot had ejected over southwestern Iran. In a striking broadcast, the channel urged civilians to assist authorities.
“If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a precious prize,” the anchor said.
An on-screen message also called on people to “shoot them if you see them”, referring to visuals circulating online that appeared to show US aircraft conducting search operations in the area. No further details were provided.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had destroyed an advanced US fighter jet and that the pilot ejected and landed داخل the country on April 3.
Mehr news agency, meanwhile, said US forces were attempting to locate and extract the pilot, with some sources suggesting he may already have been captured by Iranian forces. In contrast, other reports claimed the pilot may not have ejected at all and could have died in the crash.
Mehr also issued an appeal to civilians to assist in capturing the pilot of what it described as an American F-15E Strike Eagle shot down over southern Iran.
A spokesperson for Khatam al-Anbiya, the IRGC’s central military headquarters, was quoted by Press TV as saying that a second US F-35 had been shot down over central Iran using an advanced air defence system.
The official added that the crash triggered a “massive explosion”, making it unlikely that the pilot survived. Similar claims were echoed by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), which attributed the strike to Iran’s modern air defence systems.
Adding to the uncertainty, a Turkish media outlet cited local sources suggesting the aircraft may have been an F-15E rather than an F-35. It also reported that US helicopters and aircraft were seen in Iranian airspace, possibly attempting to locate the pilot or recover remains.
The United States has not issued any official statement in response to the claims so far.
