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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Sonic boom heard as RAF jets escort aircraft to Stansted Airport | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Watch: Loud bang heard in areas across the UK | Watch: Loud bang heard in areas across the UK |
| Watch: Loud bang heard in areas across the UK | Watch: Loud bang heard in areas across the UK |
| RAF jets scrambled to escort an aircraft which lost communications caused a sonic boom, police have said. | |
| The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Typhoon jets from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire were authorised to fly supersonic to assist a civilian plane. | |
| Essex Police said the aircraft - flying from Iceland to Kenya - was diverted to Stansted Airport, landing at 12.50 GMT. | |
| It comes after people heard a "loud bang" in Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. | It comes after people heard a "loud bang" in Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. |
| Two people - a pilot and co-pilot - were on board, Essex Police said. | |
| The force said officers carried out enquiries and were satisfied there was a loss of contact due to "equipment malfunction and nothing of any concern". | |
| The plane and those on board have now been released to continue their journey. | |
| A sonic boom is caused when planes fly faster than the speed of sound. | |
| Essex Police said two jets were scrambled to escort an aircraft that lost communications | Essex Police said two jets were scrambled to escort an aircraft that lost communications |
| Lee Shellard, from Syston, Leicester, said he was watching TV when he heard the bang. | Lee Shellard, from Syston, Leicester, said he was watching TV when he heard the bang. |
| "It shook ornaments and bits around the house," he told the BBC. | "It shook ornaments and bits around the house," he told the BBC. |
| "But it wasn't like an earthquake, more like a big lorry had gone past. So we nipped outside to see what had happened and other people were looking out of their windows as well | "But it wasn't like an earthquake, more like a big lorry had gone past. So we nipped outside to see what had happened and other people were looking out of their windows as well |
| "That's when I went back and checked the CCTV footage." | "That's when I went back and checked the CCTV footage." |
| 'Airspace closed' | 'Airspace closed' |
| Departures from Gatwick airport were reportedly suspended for 15 minutes earlier. | Departures from Gatwick airport were reportedly suspended for 15 minutes earlier. |
| BBC journalist Phil Mercer tweeted he had been sitting on a plane at the airport after passengers were told "all airspace over London is closed as an aircraft has stopped communicating with air traffic control". | BBC journalist Phil Mercer tweeted he had been sitting on a plane at the airport after passengers were told "all airspace over London is closed as an aircraft has stopped communicating with air traffic control". |
| BBC East Midlands reporter Will Jefford in Daventry, said he thought his boiler had exploded. | BBC East Midlands reporter Will Jefford in Daventry, said he thought his boiler had exploded. |
| "The whole house shook and we jumped out of the sofa to check if everything was okay," he said. | "The whole house shook and we jumped out of the sofa to check if everything was okay," he said. |
| "You could feel the noise through the floorboards. It almost hit you in the chest - I managed to drop half my cup of tea. | "You could feel the noise through the floorboards. It almost hit you in the chest - I managed to drop half my cup of tea. |
| "We initially thought the boiler had blown up, but I could hear a jet overhead so realised it was probably a sonic boom." | "We initially thought the boiler had blown up, but I could hear a jet overhead so realised it was probably a sonic boom." |
| A sonic boom is caused when planes fly faster than the speed of sound, which at ground level is around 761mph. | A sonic boom is caused when planes fly faster than the speed of sound, which at ground level is around 761mph. |
| When travelling at this speed, also known as Mach 1, the aircraft displaces the air and creates pressure waves that become compressed and are then released in a shock wave. | When travelling at this speed, also known as Mach 1, the aircraft displaces the air and creates pressure waves that become compressed and are then released in a shock wave. |
| As long as the aircraft is flying at Mach 1 it will generate continuous sound waves, known as a boom carpet and an aircraft flying at 20,000 feet would create a sonic boom cone 20 miles wide. | |
| Louise Gourlay in Bicester, Oxfordshire, said her military training kicked in and hit the floor when she heard the bang. | Louise Gourlay in Bicester, Oxfordshire, said her military training kicked in and hit the floor when she heard the bang. |
| "I'm ex-military, so I immediately 'jumped on my belt buckle' that's a move where I jumped straight down stomach to the floor," she said. | "I'm ex-military, so I immediately 'jumped on my belt buckle' that's a move where I jumped straight down stomach to the floor," she said. |
| "I didn't know if it was an explosion or something, the house shook violently." | "I didn't know if it was an explosion or something, the house shook violently." |
| 'Low boom' | 'Low boom' |
| Anne Marie Oostveen near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, told the BBC her "whole house shook". | Anne Marie Oostveen near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, told the BBC her "whole house shook". |
| "I was watching TV with my cat Jones and I heard a loud boom sound. | "I was watching TV with my cat Jones and I heard a loud boom sound. |
| "There is some building work going on nearby so at first I just thought there was a skip being delivered to the yard next door. | "There is some building work going on nearby so at first I just thought there was a skip being delivered to the yard next door. |
| "But the videos online make it sound like an explosion, to me it sounded like a low boom. | "But the videos online make it sound like an explosion, to me it sounded like a low boom. |
| "My cat just looked up and then went back to sleep." | "My cat just looked up and then went back to sleep." |
| Rebecca Cockroft added: "Going to assume I didn't imagine the sonic boom over #Northampton a few moments ago judging by the car alarms going off and birds scattering?" | Rebecca Cockroft added: "Going to assume I didn't imagine the sonic boom over #Northampton a few moments ago judging by the car alarms going off and birds scattering?" |
| A spokesman for Leicestershire Police, said: "We have received numerous calls in relation to a large explosion sound heard from various parts of the city and county. | A spokesman for Leicestershire Police, said: "We have received numerous calls in relation to a large explosion sound heard from various parts of the city and county. |
| "We like to reassure you that there is no concern however thank you for your immediate response to us." | "We like to reassure you that there is no concern however thank you for your immediate response to us." |
| Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Leicestershire Police | Leicestershire Police |
| Royal Air Force | |
| Leicester | Leicester |
| Stanstead |