The powerful sonic boom that was experienced by hundreds of people in central England on Saturday, shaking the ground and rocking houses, was caused by British military aircraft, local media has reported.
The warplanes, a pair of RAF Typhoon fighter jets, were scrambled to intercept a small airliner bound from Iceland to Kenya which experienced a radio failure while passing through UK airspace.
The military aircraft proceeded to escort the airliner to Stansted Airport in London where it turned out that the civilian plane merely experienced an equipment malfunction.
"Officers engaged with them and carried out enquiries and are satisfied there was a loss of contact due to an equipment malfunction and nothing of any concern," Essex police officials said as quoted by one UK newspaper. "The plane and those on board have now been released to continue their journey."
Earlier, a number of social media users wondered aloud about the possible causes of the sonic boom, with some suspecting a possible gas explosion.