I’m not sure if the news has jumped over the pond about the radiation found
on at least three British Airways planes, all part of murder of former KGB agent
Alexander Litvinenko. I gather those with the radioactive material used to
poison Litvinenko flew on some BA jets, leaving traces of the material on those
jets.
It doesn’t look to be a public health worry. But you have to wonder if the
radiation can be found on the jets, isn’t that something the security scans
protecting us at the airports also should have picked up?
Perhaps the new plastic bag
requirements helped shield the radiation from being detected. It would be
funny if it didn’t make a mockery of the screening process.
More on the story from This Is London
here. Over at BA, they sent me (and other customers) and email about it:
As a valued customer I am writing to give you the latest information
regarding the forensic examination of three of our Boeing 767 aircraft.You may be aware that these three aircraft were identified by the UK
government as part of the police investigation into the death of Alexander
Litvinenko.Two of the three aircraft have been forensically tested at London Heathrow.
The third aircraft will return to London Heathrow today where it will undergo
testing over the weekend.The initial results of the forensic tests on the two aircraft at London
Heathrow showed very low traces of a radioactive substance onboard. Since then
the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said that one of these aircraft does not
pose a risk to the health of the people in it and that it does not believe
overall that passengers on this aircraft were at risk over the past month.
Monitoring is continuing on the second aircraft.We have been advised that this investigation is confined solely to these
three B767 aircraft and no other British Airways aircraft are involved.We hope to return the two aircraft currently at London Heathrow to service
as soon as possible.Details of the flights operated by the three aircraft at the centre of the
investigation are available on our website, http://www.ba.com. We have also
identified on the website the 72 flights that have been given the all clear.If you were on one of these flights and wish to receive further advice you
are advised to telephone NHS Direct on 0845 4647. Only customers who have
travelled on the remaining specified flights should telephone NHS Direct.
Non-UK customers are advised to contact their doctor.The British Airways helpline remains open on 0845 6040171 and + 44 (0) 191
211 3690 for international calls.We wish to reassure you our operation is planned to continue to run
normally and any further news of the government investigation will be posted
on our website.
Heading over to BA, I find this
page that doesn’t really explain the situation as to how the radiation got
on the flights. It assumes I’m all up to speed about this. But it does
list the flights made by one plane identified as having radiation on it (not
that I was that worried, but still, phew, I’m clear). That also shows flights
that a second plane made that is being examined.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I do wonder if it’s the old ‘diplomatic pouch’ trick, especially since he did level accusations at Putin before he died. Yes, it did make the news over here, heck even Rooney’s new contract made the DC news. The world is getting smaller…
I would suspect that most airport screening for radiation looks for Gamma rays- radioactive rays that can pass through many layers of objects including steel and lead.
Polonium 210 emits Alpha rays which are blocked by almost anything.
Litvinenko ingested Polonium 210. Initial screening for radiation poisoning came back negative despite symptoms that were in line with radiation poisoning.
Polonium 210 dust is likely to have been spread by Litvenenko and others, but its pretty much harmless unless ingested.
There was a very good Wall St. Journal editorial earlier this week explaining it all