A suspected radioactive leak was reported on Sunday in the cargo area of the Delhi airport from a shipment carrying material for cancer treatment from France, triggering a "Radiological Emergency", which was withdrawn after little over three hours as the emission was found within permissible limits.
An emergency response was activated following the suspected leak with teams from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rushing to the cargo terminal of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, about a kilometre-and-a-half from the passenger area. A team of doctors from Medanta hospital was also rushed to the spot.
“A call was received from the airport around 10.45 AM regarding suspected radioactive leak from medical equipment,” said Atul Garg, Chief Fire Officer.
The local unit of the CISF intimated the NDRF control room about the suspected radioactive leak from a sanitized container from a consignment that came on an Air France plane on Saturday night.
NDRF sources said its team rushed to the spot, sanitised the area and got the cargo complex vacated as a preventive measure.
“Detection of radiation was done by NDRF team using technical equipment. Radiation level at varied distances from the source was marked and the suspect packings were isolated,” it said.
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