US airman downed deep in Iranian territory lifts lid on 'modern-day miracle' rescue operation

A US airman who was downed deep in Iranian territory has lifted the lid on the "modern-day miracle" that led to his rescue.

The US Air Force colonel, identified by his callsign "Dude 44 Bravo", was recovered after surviving behind enemy lines with a broken back, arm and shoulder for 48 hours, with little to no food.

Flying in the backseat of an F-15E Strike Eagle, the officer first went down when the aircraft was shot down over a remote region in central Iran.

When the airman discovered his parachute was broken mid-air, Bravo was sent plummeting into a dark valley, with cliffs encasing him on either side.

However, despite the significant obstacles in his path to survival, the US serviceman told 60 Minutes how his fight to stay alive was a "modern-day miracle".

On April 2, the day that Bravo's jet was shot down, the airman was tasked with the mission to launch a strike on industrial facilities regarding Iranian drones and missiles.

As Bravo, along with the pilot "Alpha", a shoulder-fired missile targeted the plane just south of Isfahan, a city in central Iran.

The airman said the impact was similar to being "hit by a freight train". After, the men came to the conclusion the plane was unable to be saved.

The pair ejected themselves from the fighter jet - but Bravo soon discovered his parachute was faulty and fell to the ground at around 70 to 100mph.

He said: "At one point, when I looked up and saw no parachute, that was the most terrifying thing I've ever seen.

"So I paused right then and I prayed. 'Lord, your will be done. But I'm getting through this.'

"I believe it's a testament to God's provision in my life to bring me through that moment in a way that didn't prevent injuries, but prevented any catastrophic injuries that would have affected my ability to survive.

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"I had injuries, but we all train to adapt and overcome the things that we're faced with.

"I moved as quickly as I could, despite the injuries, away from the place that I landed."

Bravo decided that the best place to go would be elevated, allowing him to work out if the enemy was approaching.

So, Bravo managed to ascend a 7,000-foot ridgeline - despite having a broken back. "Never let a lack of motivation put you on Iranian TV," the airman said.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth vowed to retrieve the missing soldier "dead or alive" and launched a rescue operation in a bid to find the officer before Iranian forces did.

When images of the wrecked fighter jet were shared online, armed groups began to hunt down the American serviceman - with some coming several hundred metres within Bravo.

After six hours, Alpha was rescued and, following further unsuccessful searches for Bravo, US troops withdrew from the area - until the stranded serviceman sent a message to his allies.

Supported by the CIA, US military launched strikes on Iran's Revolutionary Guard forces close to where Bravo was located, distracting Tehran intelligence.

Hundreds of soldiers were deployed throughout the daring rescue mission.