U.K. watch for radioactive can

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33154, 19 February 1973, Page 13

U.K. watch for radioactive can

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright t LONDON, February 17. Britain has bej*un a contingency operation to guard its south-east coast against a stray radioactive canister that can kill any person within a radius of 3ft.

] The Department of Trade land Industry reported today I that the bright yellow conItainer carrying a lethal iso- ; tope was lost from a Dutch [oil rig and could be floating in the North Sea toward England at a speed of a mile a day. ' It was estimated the cani[ster, if not found, could be ; washed up on popular Essex [county beaches at the beginning of summer. “Shipping has been alerted : and we are stressing that in no circumstances should anyone touch or even approach, it,” a department spokesman said. “It is impossible to mount an effective search I over such a vast area, but we' [are making sure that ail preI cautions are taken.” In the last 48 hours, police, 'coast guards, local authori-l

.ties and fishermen along a [3OO-mile stretch of Essex ■ coastline have been told to look out for the 18-inch-long canister. The isotope, believed to be Cobalt 61). is reported to have a radiation output of 16 i curies, more than six times 'the fatal level. Besides the 3ft death risk it could administer severe burns to anybody within 16 feet, informants said. The isotope was to have ( been anchored to the sea bed Ito mark a bore hole in one jof the Dutch North Sea oil {drilling areas. It apparently was found to be missing last December 6 but informants said that British authorities were told of the danger only this week. One Coast Guard official said: “It seems incredible .that we were not warned {about this earlier ”