Diplomatic row over sonic boom

09 November 2004 19:28

The aircraft that caused a sonic boom over North Norfolk was a passing foreign warplane flying up the North Sea, it emerged tonight.

But defence officials are staying tight-lipped over the identity of the offending military pilot and his nationality.

People across a stretch of east and north Norfolk from Sheringham to Halvergate heard Monday's big bang at about noon.

The window-rattling boom sparked fears it was huge gas explosion, but it was later confirmed as a sonic boom caused by an aircraft that was not British.

Ministry of Defence spokesman Lt Col Stuart Green said last night the aircraft involved was from another country, and had not been taking off, landing or involved in an exercise in Britain.

The plane, whose nationality they were not revealing, was passing by, up the North Sea, when it made the sonic boom – created by pressure waves from aircraft travelling faster than sound.

The MoD's “displeasure” over the incident was being relayed to the country involved through diplomatic channels, probably through military attachés.

Lt Col Green said the MoD went to great lengths to prevent British aircraft making sonic booms and did not take kindly to other people who did it.

There were a handful of reports made to the local media and MP's office today, about another alleged boom around 8am in the Sheringham and Cromer areas.

But Lt Col Green said there had been no official reports of other sonic booms, which were very rare events.

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