RAF fighter flies supersonic to intercept mystery aircraft near London
It caused sonic boom as it flew over Cambridgeshire
The RAF has confirmed that a Typhoon fighter from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire carried out a quick reaction alert to intercept a civilian aircraft after it lost communication as it flew towards London.
People in parts of Essex, Cambridgeshire, and Kent reported hearing a sonic boom as the jet flew at supersonic speed to reach the German business jet
The German executive jet had been heading for the Essex coast and London when contact was lost.
Communication was re-established and the aircraft was escorted safely away from central London and around Heathrow into Stansted airport.
Flight tracking website ADSBexchange.com recorded a Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 reaching a peak speed of over 1,000 knots (1,150mph) above Ickleton, just south of Cambridge.
What is a sonic boom?
A sonic boom is created when an object moves through air faster than the speed of sound, 767mph, which the jet first surpassed near Peterborough.
Sam Harrison captured the sonic boom on their Ring doorbell camera in Hornchurch, east London.
“At first I thought it was either an explosion or an earthquake … I ran outside expecting to see a lot of smoke,” they told the PA news agency.
Supersonic plane to intercept civilian aircraft
An RAF spokesperson said: “The RAF can confirm Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft were launched this afternoon from RAF Coningsby to intercept a civilian aircraft that had lost communications; subsequently, communications were re-established, the aircraft was intercepted and safely escorted to Stansted.
“The Typhoon aircraft were authorised to transit at supersonic speed for operational reasons.”
The jets are often deployed to escort aircraft that lose contact with air traffic control or don’t respond to communications.