Loud bangs in Mazarron explained as military jets cause sonic booms

Residents in Mazarron, Spain, were startled by loud bangs on the afternoon of October 6, as military exercises by the Spanish Air and Space Force caused sonic booms. The powerful noises, which sounded like explosions, were heard across parts of the municipality around 5:00pm. The sounds were audible from various areas in Mazarron and also reported in other parts of Murcia, including near the Mar Menor.

The military exercises, part of the Tactical Leadership Programme, included supersonic flights capable of producing sonic booms audible from far distances. The exercises had been ongoing since late September and were scheduled to continue until October 12, excluding weekends. Local Civil Protection councillor Carmen Navarro explained that the loud bangs were expected between 2:30pm and 6:30pm during the exercises. While the sudden bangs were alarming, they turned out to be harmless and caused no damage.