A HUGE “boom” was heard over UK towns after two RAF jets were scrambled to escort a plane into a major airport.
The pair of Typhoon jets from RAF Coningsby were dispatched to make an intercept over Cambridgeshire at around 11.40am today.
Stephen Huntley/HVCAn aircraft was intercepted by RAF Typhoons today[/caption]
ReutersTwo RAF Typhoon fighter jets were summoned in an emergency (stock)[/caption]
AlamyResidents in Essex among other areas reported hearing a ‘huge boom’[/caption]
The Typhoons were scrambled after transmitting code 1326 indicating Quick Reaction Alert near Peterborough, UK.
The jets then intercepted a Bombardier Global Express registered T7-SGH flying from Nice, France.
The aircraft had lost contact with the ground, triggering the emergency response.
It was escorted to London Stansted Airport where it landed safely.
Essex Police confirmed that there was “nothing of concern” after the sonic boom was heard.
Locals across Essex and Kent reported hearing a “loud bang” and an “explosion” as the military jets were launched.
Social media reports also reported hearing a similar sonic boom in areas including Cambridgeshire and parts of London.
The explosions heard were likely due to aircraft flying at high speeds, breaking the sound barrier.
A confused local wrote on X: “Anyone else just hear a sonic boom over south Essex?
“Thought I was going mad, couldn’t see anything outside the house then checked Plane Finder.”
Another person in Essex said: “Heard a bang in Braintree.
“Loud enough for people to go outside to have a look.”
One resident in Greenhithe, Kent, said she was at her home when she heard a loud “vacuum-style” bang.
Jenny Coxall said: “I thought it was someone hitting our garage, but when I went outside, all our neighbours were on the street, wondering what had happened.
“Everyone thought it was some sort of demolition or a house explosion.”
An RAF spokesman said: “We can confirm that RAF Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Typhoon fighter aircraft from RAF Coningsby were launched today to investigate a civilian aircraft which was not in contact with air traffic control.
“Communications were re-established and the aircraft was safely escorted to Stansted. The Typhoons are returning to base.”
Stansted Airport has been contacted for comment.
What is a sonic boom?
SONIC booms can be an overload to the senses – including the eyes and ears – leaving witnesses stunned.
But what exactly is a sonic boom?
A sonic boom is a noise created by the shock waves of a flying object traveling faster than the speed of sound.
It sounds like a loud explosion or thunderclap that can cause minor damage to buildings and even wake sleeping people.
The speed of sound, known as Mach 1 for aircraft, is approximately 767mph at sea level.
The noise of a sonic boom isn’t heard in all directions from the object. It is a continuous effect created while the vehicle is travelling at supersonic speeds.
As an aircraft passes through the air it creates a number of pressure waves both in front and behind it, in the same way a boat creates waves at its front and back as it passes through the water.
Those waves created by the plane travel at the speed of sound and when the object goes faster than the speed of sound those waves are forced together because they cannot get out of the way fast enough.
They then form a single shock wave which creates a vapor cone with the aircraft at its tip.
There is a rise in pressure at the nose, decreasing to a negative pressure at the tail.
The sound of the boom is experienced when there is a sudden change of pressure.
A “double boom” is created – one from the initial pressure created and then another when the pressure returns to normal.
GettyTwo RAF Typhoons were summoned[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
