'Iran shoots down US jet' and 'race to find pilot'

04 Apr 2026, 04:41

"Iran shoots down US jet" headlines the Times with images from the apparent crash site of the F-15 splashed on its front, including one from Iranian media purporting to show an empty ejector seat. The paper says a second plane is "believed to have crashed near Strait of Hormuz".

Now there is a "race to find pilot" of the F-15, writes the Daily Mail. The US rescued one member of the plane's aircrew "within hours" in a "daring" special forces mission but the "second is still missing". The paper describes the image of the ejector seat as part of "a major propaganda boost for Iran".

The Guardian also headlines on "one still missing" from the US jet and aviation experts tell the paper that the pictures of the wreckage in Iran show a jet from a US air force squadron usually based at RAF Lakenheath in the UK. The paper also reports that an Iranian businessman offered to pay $60,000 (£40,000) to anyone that captured the crew members alive.

The Financial Times highlights that the jet's downing comes as US President Donald Trump "urges defence boost to $1.5tn" (£1.1tn). Beneath this news, the paper carries an interview with the EU's Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, who says the bloc is assessing "all possibilities" in the face of a "long-lasting" energy shock due to the war in the Middle East.

The Independent highlights that the jet being downed "would mark the first time the US has lost an aircraft in Iran since the war began". It highlights comments from Trump regarding whether the pilot is harmed: "we hope that is not going to happen".

The Daily Telegraph reports that one of the helicopters involved in the rescue of the F-15 crew member was trailing smoke as it returned to Iraqi territory but landed safely. Closer to home, the paper says Labour are "to unleash up to 12,000 shoplifters" under new laws "scrapping most prison sentences of under one year". The paper quotes a spokesman for the justice ministry saying the the move is "part of a wider, urgent reform to ensure our prison system isn't pushed to the brink of collapse ever again".

You "Khan't make it up" headlines the Sun, as it reports that a "cop fiasco" saw a bag of guns left on the street outside London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan's home. Armed police guarding the address left the bag in a "shocking security blunder" on Tuesday. Scotland Yard has begun an internal review.

The Daily Mirror puts "energy shame" on the "big firms and their bosses" who it says "get richer as the world burns". With photographs of executives from BP, Harbour Energy, Shell and Centrica, the paper headlines on the "spoils of war" - highlighting the word "oil" within "spoils". The paper says Centrica and Shell declined to comment, while Harbour and BP did not respond.

The i Paper warns of a "UK StravaLeaks threat", saying that the running app has revealed the location of 500 military staff at British bases. Runners have jokingly called one route "security breach", according to the paper. Strava was approached for comment. The Ministry of Defence said it took the security of personnel very seriously, and kept guidance under constant review.

"Someone's in for a whole Lotto pain" writes the Daily Star, as a winner of a £10.6m jackpot failed to claim their prize by the deadline.

The Daily Mail calls the race between the US and Iran to find the missing crew member of a downed American jet "a head-to-head competition between the warring sides". The paper says the images of debris from the plane are a "major propaganda boost" for the Iranian regime.

According to the Guardian, aviation experts believe the wreckage is from an aircraft that's part of a US squadron based in the UK. The Daily Telegraph says if the aircraft flew from the UK it may "raise difficult questions" for Sir Keir Starmer, who has said the US can use bases on British soil only for defensive operations. The Times says as long as the crew member is unaccounted for "Trump's war in Iran will be overshadowed by concerns about their fate".

The Financial Times carries a warning that diesel prices in the UK could hit £2 a litre "within days". It says the wholesale cost of the fuel has surged to a four-year high. Separately, the Daily Mirror says "fatcats" running four of Britain's biggest energy industry giants have seen the value of their shareholdings jump since before the war. The paper says Centrica and Shell declined to comment, while Harbour and BP did not respond.

The i Paper says more than 500 members of the British armed forces stationed at sensitive military sites have revealed their locations on the fitness tracking app, Strava. The paper says runners at one UK-US base even jokingly called their route "security breach". Strava was approached for comment. The Ministry of Defence said it took the security of personnel very seriously, and kept guidance under constant review.

The Sun leads on armed police leaving a bag of guns on the street outside the house of the mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan. The paper goes with the headline "Khan't make it up", and calls it "a major security blunder". Scotland Yard has begun an internal review.

The Daily Express says it's "marmalade madness" that the "British breakfast favourite" could be rebranded as part of a deal with the EU. It says Labour's agreement on food has been called "completely bonkers". The government insists "British marmalade is not changing", and that its agreement with Brussels "supports businesses" by removing red tape.