On Tuesday, President Donald Trump stated that the United States will “respond” to the fact that Iran shot down an Apache helicopter that had been patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz. According to a post, the President wrote in a Truth Social post that both pilots involved in the crash “are safe and injured.” A post by the US Central Command (Centcom) stated both pilots were in stable condition.
The US Central Command revealed earlier Tuesday that the American AH-64 Apache had crashed “near the coast of Oman” on Monday evening ET. About two hours after the helicopter crashed, both soldiers were rescued. They were rescued by the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, according to a post by Centcom.
The military officials who spoke with CBS News stated that the men had been rescued by an uncrewed surface drone operated by Task Force 59. Task Force 59 launched a new unit in 2024 that focused on “the operational deployment of unmanned systems teamed with manned operators to bolster maritime security across the Middle East region.”
It was not made clear immediately what type of drone was sent to rescue the soldiers, but one US official told ABC News that it was one that looks similar to a speedboat.
by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
CNBC: Trump says U.S. must ‘respond’ after Iran shoots down helicopter over Hormuz Strait by Kevin Breuninger
BBC: Sea drone rescues US army helicopter crew near Strait of Hormuz by Jaroslav
Image by U.S. Army photo by Spc. Trevor Wilson Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain
