raf jets alerted to escort plane after 'sonic boom'

A Bombardier Global Express flying from Nice,France,had lost contact with the ground triggering the emergency response (Picture: Stephen Huntley/HVC)

A sonic boom has been heard over London after two RAF jets intercepted a private plane above the city.

The Typhoon jets from RAF Coningsby were scrambled near Peterborough at 11.40am today.

A Bombardier Global Express flying from Nice,had lost contact with the ground triggering the emergency response.

The jets intercepted and then escorted the plane to London Stansted Airport.

But Londoners as well as people living in Kent and Essex reported hearing a ‘sonic boom’ like an ‘explosion’ as the jets took to the skies.

The Typhoon jets from RAF Coningsby were scrambled near Peterborough at 11.40am today (Picture: Flight Tracker)

The RAF 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.’

One person from Dartford said: ‘Heard and felt it,shook my whole building.’

Another added: ‘It livened up the Zoom call I was on when I said “what the f*** was that loud bang?!”‘

What is a sonic boom?

A sonic boom is a type of noise created when an object travels faster than the speed of sound.

It can sound like an explosion,and is so loud it can cause damage to buildings.

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Sound waves created at the front of the vehicle – like how waves are created at the front of the boat – collide with waves created from behind as they are travelling so fast they cannot get out of the way fast enough.

They then form a single shock wave creating a vapor cone,with pressure forming at the tip where the aircraft is.

The sound of the boom is then heard when there is a sudden change of pressure.

But it isn’t heard in all directions,and instead creates a continuous effect as the vehicle travels.