The American weapons systems officer whose F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran in April delivered a harrowing account of the U.S. military operation that saved his life in an interview that aired Sunday on CBS News’ “60 Minutes.”

The airman, identified only by his mission call sign, “Bravo,” because of security threats from the Iranian regime, described free-falling through the air after his parachute was damaged in the initial attack and scaling a 7,000-foot mountain ridgeline with a broken back to evade capture by Iranian forces.

“I think the best way I’ve been able to describe that moment was getting hit by a freight train,” Bravo told correspondent Norah O’Donnell, adding, “My parachute was damaged in the initial attack. At one point, when I looked up and saw no parachute — that was the most, it was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen. So I paused right then, and I prayed, ‘Lord, your will be done. But if I’m getting through this, I need help.’”

Bravo said the fact that he survived the impact of his crash landing, which stranded him deep within a remote mountainous region in southwestern Iran, is “a testament to God’s provision” in his life. But the fall left him with a broken back, arm and shoulder. He also had a sprained ankle and cuts to his head and face.

Bravo was one of two airmen aboard the $30 million American fighter jet when it was downed by an Iranian shoulder-fired missile on April 2. The aircraft’s pilot, who was identified in the CBS report by his mission call sign, “Alpha,” was located and rescued about six hours after the crash during a risky daytime operation carried out by the U.S. military.

Bravo remained missing, spurring an intense two-day search-and-rescue operation by the U.S. military as officials raced against Iran to find the officer alive. It also prompted calls from lawmakers and the public for an end to President Donald Trump’s unpopular military campaign in Iran, which has killed 18 U.S. military service members and wounded hundreds of others.

“I moved as quickly as I could, despite the injuries, away from the place that I landed,” Bravo said. The airman said he knew he needed to move in order to avoid capture by Iranian forces. A bounty had been levied by Tehran for the capture of the American, and videos of armed crews hunting for Bravo swiftly emerged online.

“As soon as I found a spot that I felt provided some concealment, I started working toward communication,” Bravo said. “When I got to the moment where I could review and think about all that I’d gone through, I sent ‘God is good,’” he said of the message he sent to communicate that he was still alive as night fell in Iran.

Two elite Air Force pararescue operators eventually recovered Bravo on April 5 as part of a covert rescue mission.

The interview was part of the “60 Minutes” season premiere, the first since Paramount CEO David Ellison — the son of billionaire Oracle co-founder and Trump ally Larry Ellison — installed Bari Weiss as CBS News’ editor-in-chief in October 2025. The premiere on Sunday also featured a report from correspondent Lesley Stahl about wealthy people paying brokers millions of dollars to lobby for presidential pardons.

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