INDIA-RADIOACTIVE Indian officials say no risk to passengers after radioactive leak at Delhi airport

Record ID: 1377568

  • Title: INDIA-RADIOACTIVE Indian officials say no risk to passengers after radioactive leak at Delhi airport
  • Date: 29th May 2015
  • Summary: NEW DELHI, INDIA (MAY 29, 2015) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** INDIA'S INTERIOR MINISTER RAJNATH SINGH AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) INDIA'S INTERIOR MINISTER, RAJNATH SINGH, SAYING: "The officials from the administration section reached the spot while I was coming for this conference. The teams from the Atomic Energy and NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) have also reached there." SINGH WRAPPING UP NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF CRIME INVESTIGATION TEAM ARRIVING AT DELHI AIRPORT AIRPORT STAFF WALKING WITH THEIR FACES COVERED (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) CARGO MANAGER AT DELHI AIRPORT, RAGHAVENDRA KUMAR JHA, SAYING: "I don't know what has happened inside but the people coming outside are saying there is a radioactive leak. (Q. Some people are complaining that their eyes are hurting?) A. When we came here, we didn't feel anything like that." EXTERIOR OF THE CENTRE FOR PERISHABLE CARGO PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 14th June 2015 07:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAAVGI1GW3DWWPKJJXO8R3W72V3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL
    A radioactive leak was found at the cargo-handling complex of Delhi's international airport on Friday (May 29), but Indian government and airport officials said the incident had been contained and there was no risk to passengers.
    The leak was found at the airport's cargo-handling complex in a consignment of sodium iodide 131 - a radioactive liquid used in so-called nuclear medicine - that had been on board an inbound Turkish Airlines passenger flight.
    "The officials from the administration section reached the spot while I was coming for this conference. The teams from the Atomic Energy and NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) have also reached there," said Indian interior minister, Rajnath Singh, during a news conference in Delhi.
    Sodium iodide 131 is used to treat hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancers. It emits radiation and must be handled with care to minimise inadvertent exposure to health workers and patients.
    The site was cordoned off by an emergency response team that included representatives of India's National Disaster Response Force and atomic regulators.
    The cargo manager at Delhi airport, Raghavendra Kumar, said the cargo was cleared the moment news about radioactive leak broke out.
    "I don't know what has happened inside but the people coming outside are saying there is a radioactive leakage," he said. When asked to confirm reports that some people were complaining their eyes were hurting Kumar said he didn't experience "anything like that."
    Turkish Airlines had no immediate comment.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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