RADIO-ACTIVE SHIPS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25089, 22 January 1947, Page 7

RADIO-ACTIVE SHIPS

EFFECT OF ATOMIC BOMB

VESSELS MAY BE SCUTTLED

(Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 20. Hazards due to the continuing radioactivity of the Bikini atoll atomic bomb test ships are so great that it will probably be unsafe to sell them even for scrap metal. If a warship comes within range of an atomic bomb its 'days of usefulness are over, even though structurally it is virtually undamaged. A United States Navy spokesman said that this was the “logical Conclusion” of the tests on the Bikini target ships. Radio-activity had persisted to such a dangerous degree that when their value for study had ended the entire Bikini fleet would either be scuttled or used for target practice. It was feared that no matter how low the radio-activity might become, the uncontrolled disposition of the ships in the scrap market might expose the Government to huge damage suits by workmen who might contract radiological poisoning. It was proposed to transfer some of the target ships to Pearl Harbour for further examination. Experimental rats from the Navy’s medical research centre were still living under control conditions aboard some of the ships.