Mystery plume 'not a missile'

A MYSTERY vapour trail filmed off the coast of southern California that looked like a missile launch was likely to have been caused by a plane, the Pentagon said last night.

"With all the information we have gathered over the last day and a half about this condensation trail… we have no evidence to suggest that this was anything other than a contrail caused by an aircraft," said Colonel David Lapan, a Pentagon spokesman.

The film taken by a news helicopter showed a billowing trail apparently rising from the water about 35 miles from Los Angeles.