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Fighter jets escorted a plane into a London airport after it lost communications and may have caused a 'sonic boom'

Mar 4, 2023, 23:32 IST
Business Insider
RAF fighter jets (pictured on a separate occasion) might have been the source of the "loud bang."Joe Giddens/Getty Images
  • Fighter jets escorted an aircraft to an airport in London after it lost communications, per BBC News.
  • This came shortly after people heard a "loud bang," which some thought was a sonic boom.
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Fighter jets from the UK's Royal Air Force were reportedly scrambled to escort an aircraft to London's Stansted Airport after it lost communications while flying over England on Saturday.

This came shortly after people heard a "loud bang" across the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, and Oxfordshire, BBC News reported.

Some plane spotters believe it might have been a sonic boom caused by the fast movement of the RAF jets.

Lee Shellard, from Leicestershire, told the BBC: "It shook ornaments and bits around the house."

One user wrote on Twitter: "My entire house shifted, no joke!" Another said: "Anyone in Leicester know what the hell that massive explosion was?? It shook our house and the birds are going crazy."

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Essex Police tweeted that a plane heading from Iceland to Nairobi, Kenya was escorted into Stansted at about 12.50pm UK time.

"We're satisfied there was a loss of contact due to an equipment malfunction & nothing of concern," the force said. "The plane and the two people on board have been released to continue with their journey."

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 would like to reassure you that there is no concern."

Departures from another London airport were reportedly suspended for around 15 minutes, per BBC News.

BBC journalist Phil Mercer, who was stuck on the runway at Gatwick Airport, said he'd been informed that "all airspace over London is closed as an aircraft has stopped communicating with air traffic control."

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