Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters today intercepted a Bombardier Global XRS in the London area and escorted it to land at Stansted Airport (EGSS). According to airport officials, the business jet landed safely after briefly losing contact with air traffic controllers while en route to Stansted from Nice in the south of France.
"We can confirm that Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighter aircraft from RAF Coningsby were launched today to investigate a civil aircraft which was not in contact with air traffic control," said an RAF spokesperson. "Communications were re-established and the aircraft was safely escorted to Stansted."
FlightRadar24 tracking showed that a Global XRS aircraft landed at 12:11 p.m. local time, having departed from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (LFMN) about two hours earlier. Registered in San Marino with the tail number T-7 SGH, the aircraft is operated by Dubai-based charter group Empire Aviation, which did not respond to a request from AIN to comment on the incident.
Local Essex police said they found no cause for concern after interviewing the aircraft’s crew, and normal operations soon resumed at Stansted. The police also confirmed that residents close to the airport heard a sonic boom caused by the RAF jet as it approached the Global XRS.
FlightAware’s map shows the Global XRS apparently flying past Stansted to the west of the airport. It subsequently diverted to the southeast to land.