Inside the Maduro raid: Chinook pilot who helped plan the mission wounded ‘multiple times in the leg’

In a controversial military operation in early January 2026, a US Army Chinook helicopter pilot was wounded while carrying out a nighttime mission aimed at capturing former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas. The pilot, who also helped plan the operation, sustained multiple leg injuries when his aircraft came under hostile fire as US forces advanced on Maduro’s fortified stronghold.

The incursion, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve by the US Department of Defense, occurred in the pre-dawn hours and involved a coordinated aerial assault designed to insert US troops into Venezuela’s capital.

The helicopters, carrying a squad of Delta Force commandos, approached under the cover of darkness, initially avoiding detection. As they neared the compound where Maduro was believed to be hiding, Venezuelan defensive positions opened fire, prompting a fierce exchange.


At the center of the engagement was a heavy MH-47 Chinook helicopter, a twin-rotor aircraft crucial for transporting troops and equipment in hostile environments. Although the Chinook was struck by enemy fire, the damaged aircraft “remained airborne and completed its run,” according to US officials speaking to CBS News on condition of anonymity.

The pilot, a key planner of the mission, was hit "multiple times in the leg" during the combat, but the helicopter successfully delivered its forces.

A Pentagon official also told CBS News that two US servicemembers were still recovering from injuries sustained during the operation, while five others who suffered wounds have already returned to duty. The official described the mission as “extremely complex and grueling” and credited the joint US forces’ expertise for the relatively low number of casualties.

Heavy casualties

While US forces achieved their primary objective, the operation was far from bloodless. Venezuelan authorities reported significant casualties among security personnel, including Cuban advisors embedded with Maduro’s forces. Estimates vary widely, with Venezuelan government officials asserting that around 100 people were killed, including military personnel and civilians, while US sources indicated lower figures. Cuban authorities confirmed the deaths of at least 32 Cuban security personnel.

In the face of mounting criticism, Venezuela’s interim leadership declared a period of mourning and condemned the US intervention as an unlawful act. Calls for international scrutiny and possible legal action have been raised by Venezuelan and allied officials, who describe the mission as a war crime.

Maduro captured

The operation resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were subsequently transported to the United States and arraigned on federal charges. Maduro, speaking through an interpreter, asserted his innocence during his arraignment and maintained that he remains the legitimate president of Venezuela.

The bold US action drew widespread international attention and mixed reactions. Some allied nations and global institutions criticized the operation as a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty and international law, while US leadership defended the mission as a critical step toward combating narcoterrorism and restoring democratic governance in Venezuela.