United States President Donald Trump told outlet Axios that the message from the missing US airman sounded something similar to what a Muslim would say, raising suspicion among military officials.
Trump on Sunday confirmed the recovery of the second crew member from the US F-15E Strike Eagle downed in Iran, hailing the mission as one of the most courageous search-and-rescue operations in American military history. The airman, identified as a senior officer, had been missing since Friday after his aircraft was shot down over Iran. While the jet's pilot was rescued shortly after the crash, the second crew member, the Weapons Systems Officer (WSO), remained missing for two days.
The US airman had made a radio contact with officials in Washington with a three word, unusual message.
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What Was US Airman's Unusual Message?
According to Trump, the US Airman said, "Power be to God." Trump further explained that the officer was later described as a religious person and the message then made sense. "What he said on the radio sounded like something a Muslim would say," Trump told Axios.
A US defence official, however, revealed the exact words used by the US Airman, which were "God is good".
What We Know About F-15E Strike Eagle Fighter Jet
The F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet is a dual-role aircraft designed to execute both "air-to-air and air-to-ground missions." As noted by CNN, these aircraft are traditionally operated by a two-person team consisting of a pilot and a weapon systems officer.
This downing incident marks the first time a US aircraft has been downed over Iran during the current conflict. Iranian media had begun circulating photographs of debris, including a tail fin, which appeared to identify the jet as belonging to the 494th Fighter Squadron 'LN' based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom.