RAF says huge explosion heard over Liverpool is NOT a sonic boom from a fighter jet after residents told how houses shook and windows rattled
- Amazed locals reported hearing loud noise over Aintree, Sefton and Clubmoor
- Sonic boom caused when object breaks the sound barrier, so travels at 770mph
- Ministry of Defence and Royal Air Force said a plane did not cause explosion
The RAF has said that a huge explosion which was heard over Liverpool this morning was not a sonic boom caused by one of their fighter jets.
Amazed locals reported hearing the loud noise in Aintree, Sefton and Clubmoor this morning – with many speculating it was a sonic boom.
A sonic boom is caused when an object breaks the sound barrier, meaning it travels through the air at a speed of 770mph.
A spokesman for the Royal Airforce said: ‘A Hawk training aircraft from RAF Valley on Anglesey was in the Ellesmere Port vicinity at the time of the reported incident.
‘This aircraft was operating normally in subsonic flight and at no point reached supersonic speed. The incident is unrelated and we are unaware of the cause of the reported noise.’
The Hawk aircraft is a British single-engine, jet-powered advanced trainer aircraft used to teach pilots at high speed. It has also been used by the Red Arrows display team.
The jets don’t usually break the sound barrier while flying, but have been known to do so in a dive.
In January, a Hawk training jet ‘inadvertently’ caused a sonic boom when it rapidly plunged towards the ground over Norfolk.
An enormous explosion understood to be a sonic boom caused by an RAF fighter jet has been heard over Liverpool
Amazed locals reported hearing the loud noise over Aintree, Sefton and Clubmoor – with many speculating it was a sonic boom
Perplexed locals took to Twitter to ask if others heard the same noise.
One Twitter user – who goes by Sidney – wrote: ‘Anyone hear an explosion in Liverpool just now? Great big bang.’
Others rushed to reply saying they heard the same thing, with one person commenting: ‘There was a jet flying round. Could have been a sonic boom.’
Witnesses said they heard the boom in several areas – including Tuebrook and Walton Vale.
Some questioned whether RAF jets are allowed to break the sound barrier over populated cities.
Meanwhile, a supposed sonic boom has also been heard in Holywood, Belfast.
Local Jill Mulligan said she heard ‘an explosion’ which left her ‘house shaking’.
She wrote: ‘Thought it was a bomb at the barracks but no sirens or smoke. Sonic boom?’
Sonic booms often occur when planes travel through the air faster than the speed of sound – usually sounding like an enormous clap or bang.
The RAF jets are authorised to go supersonic ‘if necessary’.
Meanwhile, a supposed sonic boom has also been heard in Holywood, Belfast
The Ministry of Defence and the Royal Air Force have not confirmed whether a plane caused the sound, but an online flight tracker showed a jet (file image) was over Liverpool at the time
An RAF spokesman said: ‘A Hawk training aircraft from RAF Valley on Anglesey was in the Ellesmere Port vicinity at the time of the reported incident.
‘This aircraft was operating normally in subsonic flight and at no point reached supersonic speed. The incident is unrelated and we are unaware of the cause of the reported noise.’