Residents across the country were left bewildered after a "sonic boom" was heard.
The sound could be heard with residents living in Kent hearing an "explosion".
GB News also confirmed the sound was heard over Chelmsford and across south Essex.
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One witness told the People's Channel: "I was just relaxing and suddenly there was a huge explosion sound, it just went boom, and the house seemed to shake.
"It was over in a second but none of us knew what was going on. People seem to think it’s a sonic boom.”
One resident tweeted: "Did anyone else just hear a massive bang in Bexleyheath? Sounded like a sonic boom."
Residents living in the Gidea Park and Chingford areas also reported hearing the sound.
An RAF spokesman has confirmed to GB News that QRA aircraft were launched this morning.
However, as this is an ongoing mission, the Ministry of Defence said no additional details will be offered until complete.
GB News has approached the Essex airport for a comment
| LONDON STANSTED AIRPORTA spokesman from Essex Police said: "You may have heard a sonic boom over Essex in the last hour or so.A flight has been escorted into Stansted Airport after it lost contact with the ground.
"We were called at around 11.40am today (Friday, August 15).Contact was re-established with the plane, which had been travelling from Nice, and was escorted into the airport by RAF aircraft.
"On the ground our officers determined there was nothing of concern."
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