From: Terry Groff <terry.nul>
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 18:04:34 -0600
Fwd Date: Tue, 09 Nov 2004 04:56:52 -0500
Subject: UFO boom - Unidentified Foreign Object


Source: EDP24

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/News/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED08%20Nov%202004%2017%3A55%3A31%3A097

http://tinyurl.com/4qvvu (same as above)

11-08-04

UFO Boom - Unidentified Foreign Object

Edward Foss

A suspected sonic boom heard across north-east Norfolk today was
not caused by a British aircraft, it was confirmed tonight.

The loud bang, heard at least from Sheringham to Halvergate near
Yarmouth, startled hundreds of people going about their daily
business at around noon.

But a Ministry of Defence spokesman said it was not a domestic
fighter that caused the incident, although he was unable to
confirm the source of the sonic boom.

"We believe there was a sonic boom, but it was not a British
aircraft that caused it," said Lt Col Stuart Green. "It was not
one of ours."

Whether the aircraft was European or American was not clear, but
they would be the most likely suspects. But it would have been a
military aircraft, as no civilian plane is capable of going fast
enough to make a sonic boom.

A spokesman for the UK Civil Aviation Authority said the now out
of service Concorde was the only civilian craft that had ever
been able to travel fast enough to create the phenomenon.

North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb described how he had been sitting
in his office in North Walsham when he heard an "incredible
boom".

"The building shook and like many people I was shocked. I
thought 'has there been some sort of gas explosion?'"

Mr Lamb said he felt the "disturbing" incident begged questions
that needed to be answered. He pledged to approach ministers for
an explanation.

Ben Dunnell, assistant editor of Aircraft Illustrated and
formerly from Norfolk, said sonic booms were rare in the UK.
"There are regulations governing supersonic flight, but it is
not clear what happened on this occasion."

When the sonic boom was heard, windows and homes shook while
some people were reported to have been running for cover.

"I heard this enormous explosion," said John Hilton, who was in
Stalham at the time. One or two people were very worried,
although most realised fairly quickly what it probably was. But
I don't feel things like this should be happening."

Police and RAF bosses received scores of calls from those
concerned at the explosion.

A sonic boom is a loud noise generated when an aeroplane travels
faster than sound waves, which move at approximately 750mph at
sea level. Pressure waves merge to form shock waves, which are
heard as sonic booms when they hit the ground.

Although there has been no official confirmation of the noise
being a sonic boom, a spokesman at RAF Coltishall said there had
been an assumption it was. He added that the Ministry of Defence
in London was handling the investigation into the incident.

A spokeswoman for Norfolk police said it was possible the noise
was a sonic boom and that the investigation was in the hands of
the RAF.

The noise was heard in Overstrand momentarily before it was
heard in Cromer, suggesting it came from an aircraft travelling
east to west.