A US Air Force colonel left stranded behind enemy lines in central Iran for two days has described his ordeal, including the terrifying instant he discovered his parachute had failed and the high-risk mission that brought him home.

The weapons system officer, identified only by the callsign ‘Dude 44 Bravo,’ was seated in the rear of an F-15E Strike Eagle on April 2 when the aircraft was shot down in a remote part of Iran.

He has since called his survival a ‘modern-day miracle.’ The colonel suffered a broken back, arm and shoulder, as well as a sprained ankle.

That night’s operation involved striking industrial sites connected to Iran’s drone and missile program, Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command, told 60 Minutes on Sunday night.

As Bravo and the pilot, known only as ‘Alpha,’ flew south of Isfahan, their $30 million fighter was hit by a shoulder-fired missile. Bravo said the impact felt like being ‘hit by a freight train.’

The two airmen initially tried to keep the stricken F-15E in the air, but soon concluded the jet could not be saved. They were forced to eject.

Alpha reached the ground safely. But after Bravo ejected, he realized the attack had damaged his parachute.

‘At one point, when I looked up and saw no parachute, that was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen,’ the airman said, becoming emotional as he recalled the moment.

‘So I paused right then and I prayed, “Lord your will be done. But I’m getting through this.”‘

Bravo then free-fell to the ground, crashing down at an estimated 70 to 100 mph.

‘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,’ he said.

‘I had injuries, but we all train to adapt and overcome the things that we’re faced with,’ he explained. ‘I moved as quickly as I could, despite the injuries, away from the place that I landed.’

When the sun then rose that morning, Bravo was able to make out some of his surroundings – and found himself in a valley with cliffs to either side.

He then realized the safest place for him to go would be up, where he could see Iranian forces coming from the valley below.

So, despite his broken bones, Bravo hiked and climbed up a 7,000-foot ridgeline as he told himself to ‘never let a lack of motivation put you on Iranian TV.’

Meanwhile, back in the United States, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to be woken up in the middle of the night as his aides told him about the crash.

His immediate reaction, he said, was to ask whether the crew was OK and whether Iran knew what had happened. 

But ‘whether they’re alive or not, we’re going to get them,’ Hegseth vowed. 

Soon, though, evidence of the wreckage was shared on Iranian media and videos emerged online of armed groups hunting down the F-15E’s crew.

Some came within just a few hundred meters of where Bravo was hiding, US military sources told 60 Minutes.

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‘There was clear intent out of the Iranian ground force to come find those two guys,’ said General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

During the ‘race against time,’ US military closely tracked the Iranians in the area, and after six hours, US forces were able to rescue Alpha in a risky daytime raid as American helicopters took fire.

‘It was a gun fight all the way in and all the way out,’ Hegseth recounted. ‘But they got Alpha back in.’

Still, the crews were unable to find Bravo and withdrew from the region. 

But as night fell on that first day in Iran, Bravo was able to send a message back home.

‘When I got to the moment where I could review and think about all that I’d gone through, I sent “God is good” as recognition of all that He had brought me through,’ said the airman.

He also alerted the US military that he was injured but was moving.  

A rescue force was almost sent in immediately after US forces received the message, but it ‘just didn’t line up,’ Hegseth said. 

‘That was a really tough decision,’ he said. ‘I’ll never forget, you know, being in the situation room and saying “OK I guess we’re gonna roll 24,” which means, “Hey Bravo’s going to be out there for basically 24 hours more.”‘ 

Fortunately, the airman was able to survive with almost no food or water, in the wind and the cold on the high mountain desert.

At the same time, the CIA launched a multi-pronged deception campaign meant to confuse Iranian forces looking for Bravo as they used top-secret technology to pinpoint the airman’s location.

When US forces were then ready to conduct another daring rescue, American bombers and drones struck Iran’s Revolutionary Guard forces near where he was hiding.

Once the path was then cleared, the US sent more than 90 soldiers on the ground – marking the first US boots on the ground in Iran in 46 years.

Several hundred other soldiers took to the air while several thousand more served as support, as General Caine said the US would have sent even more to rescue Bravo.

The rescue teams then came in on two large planes and landed on a makeshift desert airstrip, while ‘Little Bird’ helicopters reached Bravo on the ridgeline several miles away.

When Bravo then saw his rescuers approach, he said it was ‘one of the greatest moments of my life.’

Still, Bravo was not in the clear – as the rescue planes’ landing gear got stuck in the desert sand and could not take off, leaving more than 90 of what Adm Cooper described as the military’s ‘most elite service members’ stuck until a clandestine Air Force unit came to the rescue.

It then destroyed the two stuck aircraft, worth about $100 million each, as well as the Little Bird helicopters so that the technology wouldn’t fall into Iranian hands.

Finally, about 50 hours after being shot down, Bravo was safe.

When he then left the country, the airman made sure to call his wife back home.

‘I was really proud of her and grateful for the strength that she showed,’ he recounted.

Bravo said he now wants the American public to realize the rescue mission was about more than what he had endured.

‘It’s a story of the teamwork, the training, of the faith, of the decisions and the leadership to do something that will live in history as an example of what America’s willing to do, in order to uphold our promise and leave no man behind.’ 

Rex Heuermann, recently sentenced to life in prison for the killings of seven women on Long Island, has been disciplined after authorities said he smuggled drugs into prison.

Heuermann, 62, was found with contraband concealed beneath his bed during a July 14 search at Clinton Correctional Facility, a source familiar with the investigation told Newsday.

He is serving life without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty on April 8 to three counts of first-degree murder and four counts of second-degree murder. He was formally sentenced on June 17.

Heuermann admitted to strangling Sandra Costilla, 28, Valerie Mack, 24, Jessica Taylor, 20, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, and Amber Costello, 27.

In a further revelation, he also confessed to the 1996 killing of Karen Vergata, 34, an eighth victim in whose death he has not been charged.

About three weeks after arriving at the facility, correctional officers found a small piece of soaked paper wrapped in plastic. The paper tested positive for ‘synthetic marijuana,’ according to the outlet.

The source said Heuermann was placed in an isolated cellblock and temporarily barred from receiving mail following the discovery.

After a two-day disciplinary hearing in the drug case concluded on August 18, officials determined that any additional infractions would result in Heuermann losing commissary privileges for 75 days, the outlet reported.

Heuermann was arrested in 2023 after masquerading as a family man for years, living in Massapequa Park with his wife of 27 years Asa Ellerup and their children Victoria Heuermann and Christopher Sheridan. 

He worked as an architect in Midtown Manhattan. He lured young women who were working as sex workers to his home when his family went out of town on vacation. His victims were strangled and their bodies dumped in remote areas of Long Island. 

With the exception of his first victim, Costilla, Heuermann killed the women inside the basement of his home – the same suburban ranch-style house where he spent his own childhood and then raised his family. He also dismembered Vergata, Mack and Taylor inside the home. 

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney told the Daily Mail that a ‘meticulous’ level of planning had gone into each of the murders, meeting the women in advance, selecting his chosen victim and then buying a designated ‘kill phone’ to use solely to contact her.

Heuermann’s killing spree was only discovered and appeared to come to an end when his dumping ground was found along a remote stretch of Ocean Parkway, near Gilgo Beach, in 2010. 

But another 13 years would go by before the notorious serial killer was finally unmasked with Heuermann’s arrest.

The harrowing discovery came during a search for 24-year-old Shannan Gilbert, who had made a chilling 911 call and then disappeared following a visit to a client’s house in nearby Oak Beach that May.

That December, Barthelemy’s remains were the first to be found. Within days, Brainard-Barnes, Waterman and Costello were all found within a quarter mile of each other.

The four women, together known as the Gilgo Four, were all bound and wrapped in burlap.

By the spring of 2011, ten victims had been found in the area. The final victim found was Gilbert, who, to this day, investigators maintain died by accident and is not linked to the serial killer case.

The serial killer used a trove of different burner phones to contact some of the victims, with location data placing the user near both Heuermann’s family home in Massapequa Park and his office in Manhattan.

With a suspect in sight, investigators then obtained crucial DNA evidence from a discarded pizza crust, which proved Heuermann to be the source of a hair found on Waterman’s body.

It later emerged that hairs belonging to his wife, daughter and another individual close to him had been found on six of the seven victims for which he was charged.

A disturbing ‘planning document,’ found on a hard drive during a search of his home, then revealed what prosecutors described as his blueprint for selecting, killing and disposing of victims.

The document included sections titled ‘body prep’ detailing how to clean and dismember bodies and remove tattoos.

Other chilling evidence also emerged, including his sick porn searches for ‘autopsy photos of female,’ ‘tied up fat girl porn,’ ‘skinny white teen crying porn’ and ‘stories of rape audio’ – as well as his online obsession with the Gilgo Beach serial killer case.

In the almost three years since his arrest, Heuermann’s ex-wife Ellerup visited him in prison regularly and attended almost every one of his court hearings. 

While he will now spend the rest of his life in prison, he could still face further prosecution if tied to other murders across New York state – and even further afield.

The remains of three other victims were also found along Ocean Parkway close to the remains of Heuermann’s other victims and were long suspected of being linked to the Gilgo Beach case. 

A separate suspect has now been charged with the murders of two of those victims – mother Tanya Jackson and her toddler daughter Tatiana Dykes.

The case of the third victim – who is yet to be identified and is known only as Asian Doe – remains unsolved.

Heuermann remains in custody in ‘Little Siberia’ alongside fellow Long Island serial killer Joel Rifkin and the notorious New York Zodiac killer Heriberto Seda.

The Daily Mail reached out to Heuermann’s lawyer and the Clinton Correctional Facility for comment. 

The founder of a popular Southern California car show was killed in a fiery crash after a McLaren struck a tree in Irvine, roughly an hour after the vehicle had been pulled over by police.

James Wehr, 27, died when the supercar split in two and caught fire following the early Saturday morning collision.

Wehr owned South OC Cars and Coffee, an organizer of weekly car shows. He was a passenger in a 2019 McLaren 720S with another person who was driving and also died, police said.

Friends and relatives identified Wehr as one of the victims on social media. About an hour before the fatal crash, he shared an Instagram video showing a police vehicle stopped behind the black supercar in Newport Beach.

It was not clear why police had stopped the vehicle.

Shortly afterward, Wehr posted another image showing the McLaren parked outside the Pendry hotel.

Investigators said the McLaren had been stopped at a traffic light before accelerating at a high rate of speed, with the driver then losing control.

The vehicle struck a curb before crashing into a tree at about 12.20am, killing both occupants, according to the Irvine Police Department.

Authorities have not determined the full circumstances of the crash, including whether any other vehicles were involved.

Sarah Wehr, the entrepreneur’s mother, described her son as a ‘magnificent man’ with a love for his people, family and friend that was ‘second to none.’

‘I remember your first steps at our home in Perth, Australia. The first time you said “Dada!”, your very first word. I remember you sleeping through the night at 8 weeks. I remember everything. All of it,’ she wrote on Instagram. 

‘Your insanely great belly-laugh and your cheeky smile. Thank you for all the years we were blessed to know and love you James. This slices from all sides. I hope you’re getting a beer with Gramps as you both watch over us all. I love you son.’

Emma, Wehr’s wife, posted an emotional set of photos of the pair, including on their wedding day, alongside a heartbreaking tribute to her late husband. 

‘James, I never thought the day would come that I’d have to say such a final goodbye,’ she wrote. 

‘Getting the opportunity to love you will always be the greatest blessing in my life. I grew up with you and you opened my eyes to everything the world had to offer. You had such a zest for life and drive like no one I’ve ever met. 

‘You’re smart, kind, funny, loving, and genuinely one of the best people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. Like I said in my vows, I’m so grateful to have gotten the chance to live my life at the same time that you lived yours and whether its in this lifetime or the next my heart will always find its way to you. Rest easy my love.’

His sister, Sophie Wehr, posted a collection of childhood photos with her brother and said: ‘James, thank you. I’ll live every day with you in mind and do everything I can to make you proud.’

‘I can’t imagine a world without you,’ she added. ‘I love you so much, I always will.’

‘My darling nephew James.. Rest easy beautiful boy. I will always love you. You left a legacy and will be in our hearts forever,’ his aunt, Milly, wrote.  

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Wehr had attended a car show hosted by South OC Cars and Coffee just earlier that day.

‘It was so exciting to see everything roll in,’ Sarah Wehr wrote. ‘Thank you to our incredibly excellent volunteers, as well as everyone who brought their cars, bikes and trucks. Love this community so much.’

Wehr co-founded the car show with his father, Simon Wehr, and spent years hosting the meets together every Saturday at the Outlets at San Clemente. 

The organization estimated that from 800 to 2,500 vehicles attend the events. 

‘Getting to see people come out every week and enjoy the show. We see multiple generations of people walking around with their cars, and it’s a great environment. We’re super lucky,’ Wehr previously said of the shows, according to the Post.

Frankie, a friend and fellow car-enthusiast, recalled working with Wehr at a restaurant and watching him ‘become so successful in the automotive industry.’

‘You were someone I truly admired and looked up to,’ he wrote. ‘You always showed me love, while talking more s*** than anyone else could. Things won’t be the same without you around, and I’ll cherish every memory we ever had.’

‘The fact that you supported me and wanted to be the first guest on my podcast meant more to me than you know. You are family bro,’ he continued. 

‘I just wish I had one more chance to laugh with you, hear you talk your s***, and tell you how much you meant to me. I love you and miss you.’

Amanda, another friend and frequenter of South OC Cars and Coffee car meets, described Wehr as a ‘modern day Paul Walker’ and ‘an icon in the car the community.’

‘This will not only rock the local car groups, but it will do so world wide. I have had the pleasure of meeting fans, friends, and followers of his from out of state as well as out of country. You will be missed James. Thank you for creating a community that became a family,’ she wrote. 

‘He was a photographer, car enthusiast, entrepreneur, and more. He was a son, husband, friend, leader, and icon in the car community. He will be forever missed. He passed away on Paul Walkers birthday, if that isn’t a sign or a testament I don’t know what is,’ she wrote on a separate post. 

‘James Wehr, you touched hearts of people from Southern California, to Australia, and even further around the world…We are so proud of him and everything he accomplished in his life time. Though he was taken from us too soon, his memory lives on in each and every one of us. Thank you for creating a community for us James, a family, and a home.’

Jasper, another friend and car enthusiast, said Wehr was one of his ‘biggest inspirations and one to keep pushing me in life for the better part of a decade.’

‘To be honest, there were times where I wanted to be just like you, but in my own way,’ he said.

‘I think we’ve driven thousands of miles together, on rallies, drives, swapping cars and doing road trips together. Plus our trips, events, drinks, cigars, deep talks, and the hundreds of hours we spent together playing games with the rest of them.

‘We had big dreams, big goals, promises we made each other. And when it’s all said and done, and I see you again, you’ll see that we achieved it all. I’m going to miss you, but I’ll never forget you.’

The Daily Mail reached out to the California Highway Patrol, the Irvine Police Department and South OC Cars and Coffee for comment.

A police crackdown that saw 36 illegal e-bikes seized across four Sydney Northern Beaches suburbs has sparked a heated public debate, marking the first use of new powers introduced last month.

NSW Police joined Transport for NSW officers for a Friday operation across Manly, Curl Curl, Dee Why and Avalon, focusing on illegal, modified and high-powered e-bikes.

Under laws that came into effect on 21 August, authorities can seize and destroy illegal e-bikes, non-registerable vehicles and unregistered vehicles being used in public places.

Among the vehicles taken by police was an e-bike allegedly capable of travelling at more than 90km/h, which was seized from a 14-year-old boy at Warriewood.

Officers also issued 16 penalty notices and 46 cautions during the operation for offences including helmet violations and mobile phone breaches.

The Sydney e-bike crackdown quickly divided Australians on social media, where some questioned why police resources were being directed at e-bikes rather than other criminal activity.

‘Surely there are far more serious offences demanding our attention… thieves, organised crime, NDIS fraud, drug dealers and violent offenders to name just a few,’ one person said.

‘Chasing hard core criminals right there guys. God forbid you actually chase the bad guys,’ another wrote.

‘Why aren’t they chasing illegal firearms instead of recreational bikes, I suppose it’s much easier than fighting real crime,’ a third person said.

Others argued there were better ways to address the issue. 

‘Taking the bikes away from the hoons, not regular riders, is what matters,’ one said.

‘The seizing of modified e-bikes is like seizing modified high performance cars from everyone regardless of their driving behaviour.’ 

‘Fun police at it again. The answer should not be taking the bikes away but make individuals accountable,’ a second said. 

‘People doing the wrong thing should be fined and or treated appropriately, but leave the rest of the community alone regardless of their bikes!’ a third said. 

Many also praised authorities for keeping the roads safe. 

‘Excellent work, none of us are allowed unregistered uninsured and unlicensed on our roads for good reason. Thank goodness common sense has prevailed,’ one said. 

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‘About time, keep pressure on. We do and pay for the right things and have the privilege to be on roads and so they should,’ a second said.

‘What a wonderful job done by the police. Great work lads and ladies of the force,’ another said. 

Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner David Driver, reminded riders to check their e-bikes met legal requirements. 

‘Riders need to ensure their e-bike complies with legislation and that when they ride that they comply with the rules about where they can and cannot ride their e-bikes,’ he said. 

‘Most e-bike riders do the right thing and comply with the rules; however, police will enforce with new legislation if people ride non-compliant vehicles.’ 

Transport Secretary Josh Murray acknowledged that most riders were doing the right thing on the road, but said those who did not were endangering other road users. 

‘We are serious about e-bike safety and operations like this will continue by NSW Police with support from Transport for NSW to ensure all road users are safe and complying with the state’s upgraded laws,’ he said. 

‘E-bikes must behave like bicycles, not motorcycles, so if your bike can operate like a motorcycle under throttle or go more than 25km an hour while being powered, it is not legal to ride in public. 

‘Before you or your child jumps on an e-bike, please make sure it’s road-legal, otherwise you risk losing the bike.’ 

Data released by Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital in February showed there were 200 e-bike-related injuries requiring a response from their trauma team last year. 

Serious injuries from e-bikes had doubled in 2025 compared to the previous year, with almost 10 per cent requiring intensive care treatment.

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