Radiation scare at airport: AERB says it’s organic liquid

NEW DELHI: There was high drama at the Delhi airport on Friday morning following reports of a radioactive leak, which turned out to be a false alarm.
Panic gripped the airport staff after some workers reported that a radioactive package brought in by a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul was leaking at the cargo import terminal. Teams from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) later inspected the area and confirmed that leaking material was an “organic liquid” that had spilled over a cargo containing nuclear medicines meant for a city hospital.
According to airport officials, a pair of loaders had felt irritation and burning sensation while handling containers at the cargo area around 8.30am. The duo then spotted a leaking consignment with “radioactive” mentioned on it and reported the matter to shift duty officers.
Delhi Police personnel were called in followed by fire and NDRF teams to assess the situation. “We received a call around 10.50am and two NDRF teams including 60 officials were rushed to the spot with radiation detectors and other necessary equipment. After more than four hours of inspection, we did not find any radiation leak. By 6pm, we had decontaminated the area and opened it for normal operations,” NDRF said in a statement.
The loaders who complained of irritation and burning sensation were sent to AIIMS where doctors said they were not exposed to any radiation.
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said that after extensive assessment AERB has confirmed there was no leak of any radioactive substance in cargo area. Based on the clearance, Celebi, the cargo handling company, has resumed all import operations. “All other operations at the Delhi airport continue to be normal,” a DIAL spokesperson said.
The authorities at the airport had initially cordoned off the cargo area and the cargo operations were suspended as a precautionary measure. Aviation regulator DGCA had also launched a probe into the incident.
Delhi Disaster Management Authority said the radioactive material, sodium iodide-131, was procured after getting an NOC from AERB. “The staff which handled it felt that packaging is damaged and something is found leaking from three of total 10 containers. After seeing that it has the warning ‘Radioactive Material Type A Package’ they informed the different authorities.”
Later in the evening Turkish Airklines released a statement saying, “The cargo package containing medical material and carried by Turkish Airlines’ TK716 Istanbul-Delhi flight has been examined by the authorities in Delhi on suspicion of radioactive leak...but no evidence has been detected.”