Article Posted on : - Feb 19, 2010

A File Photo of MiG 29K naval fighter aircraft.

PANAJI (PTI): The Navy Thursday said it will hold its tests on to-be inducted MiG aircrafts "farther out at sea" in wake of the sonic booms created by the air crafts causing panic among locals residing near Goa coast.

"We have noticed the concerns of people and measures have been instituted to carry out the tests farther out at sea," a Naval spokesman said.

Although the tests are held 25 nautical miles off the coast, it is possible that the sonic booms created by the aircraft whilst transiting to supersonic flight have been audible to local populace, he said.

Panic had prevailed among locals living on southern and northern coast of the state on February 11 and 16 after they heard "mysterious blasts".

Later, the state government had clarified that the explosions were caused due to the Navy's ongoing tests of Russian-made MiG 29K fighter jets to be inducted in the fleet of Indian fighter jets.

Chief Minister Digamber Kamat had requested the Navy to conduct the tests little far off the coast as the blasts were creating fear among the locals.