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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Jacob Jarvis

Stansted 'bang' caused by sonic boom as fighter jets escort plane into airport

Jet2.com has been named the best airline in the UK (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

A large bang heard around Stansted Airport was caused by a fighter jet escorting a plane into land causing a sonic boom.

There were numerous reports of a loud noise, which some said was like an explosion, in the area surrounding the airport in Essex.

A spokesman for Stansted Airport said that jets were scrambled to accompany the flight due to reports of a disruptive passenger.

The plane involved was a Jet2 flight which had been travelling to Dalaman in Turkey on Saturday when it had to be re-directed back to Stansted, according to spokeswoman for the airline.

Essex Police had multiple reports regarding the sound in the area.

A typhoon jet is said to have made the sonic boom (AP)

A statement from Bishop's Stortford Police on Twitter said: "Large number of 999 calls coming in about a loud explosion.

"We have liaised with Essex Police who are confirming that this is a sonic boom from a passing aircraft."

A full statement from Essex Police said: We were made aware of a disruptive passenger on an inbound flight to Stansted this evening, Saturday, 22 June.

"There is a possibility that residents nearby may have heard a loud noise, often associated with a sonic boom, as the aircraft descended into Stansted airspace.

"Officers attended and arrested a 25-year-old woman on suspicion of two assaults and endangering an aircraft.

"She remains in custody."

The Standard contacted the Ministry of Defence for further details.

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

One man described the noise as a "huge bang" which "nearly blew my window out".

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