'Sonic boom' heard over Lääne-Viru County sparks calls to emergency services
A loud "bang" heard in and around Lääne-Viru County Monday afternoon was caused by Italian air force F-35 fighter jets breaking the sound barrier, Virumaa teataja reported.
The emergency services received numerous reports about the noise, which some observers said consisted of three loud bangs.
"Since at first it was not known what it could be, it was registered as the highest priority call, but soon information came in that these were allied aircraft and fortunately there was no danger to life or health," Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) spokesperson Pirjo Neissaar said.
One man out mushroom picking in the village of Sootaguse at the time of the incident, around 2.20 p.m. Monday, remained skeptical of this explanation, saying the ground and trees shook yet there was no sound of a jet engine in the skies above — though the man and his group claimed they observed a drone-like object flying in the area.
Estonian air force spokesperson Siim Verner Teder said the sound barrier was broken by planes flying at around 9 kilometers altitude, however, adding "the higher the sound barrier is crossed, the further it can be heard," and confirming that the training flight in question was a routine one which passed off without incident.
The Italian air force currently holds the rotating NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission, flying out of Ämari air base.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
Source: Postimees
