This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/06/mexico-hospital-six-people-radiation-poisoning
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Mexico radiation scare: six suspects released from hospital | Mexico radiation scare: six suspects released from hospital |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Six people tested for possible radiation exposure in Mexico have been released from hospital but remain under detention as suspects in the theft of a truck carrying highly radioactive cobalt-60, officials said on Friday. | Six people tested for possible radiation exposure in Mexico have been released from hospital but remain under detention as suspects in the theft of a truck carrying highly radioactive cobalt-60, officials said on Friday. |
| Of the detained men, aged 16 to 38, only the 16-year-old showed signs of radiation exposure and he was in good health, a spokeswoman for Hidalgo's health department said, speaking on condition of anonymity because she wasn't allowed to discuss the case. | Of the detained men, aged 16 to 38, only the 16-year-old showed signs of radiation exposure and he was in good health, a spokeswoman for Hidalgo's health department said, speaking on condition of anonymity because she wasn't allowed to discuss the case. |
| The six were detained on Thursday as part of the investigation and taken to the general hospital in Pachuca for testing. | The six were detained on Thursday as part of the investigation and taken to the general hospital in Pachuca for testing. |
| After being cleared by health authorities on Friday, the men were turned over to federal authorities in connection with the case of the cargo truck stolen on Monday at gunpoint outside Mexico City. The cobalt-60 it was carrying was from obsolete radiation therapy equipment. | After being cleared by health authorities on Friday, the men were turned over to federal authorities in connection with the case of the cargo truck stolen on Monday at gunpoint outside Mexico City. The cobalt-60 it was carrying was from obsolete radiation therapy equipment. |
| Officials have not said what roles the six allegedly had in the theft. | Officials have not said what roles the six allegedly had in the theft. |
| Hidalgo state health minister Pedro Luis Noble said earlier on Friday the men suffered from skin irritations and dizziness, but that none were in serious condition. Only one was vomiting, a sign of radiation poisoning. | Hidalgo state health minister Pedro Luis Noble said earlier on Friday the men suffered from skin irritations and dizziness, but that none were in serious condition. Only one was vomiting, a sign of radiation poisoning. |
| The International Atomic Energy Agency said the cobalt had an activity of 3,000 curies, or Category 1, meaning "it would probably be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period in the range of a few minutes to an hour." | |
| "What I I was told yesterday is that there might be two people with severe radiation syndrome, but I do not have confirmation," said Juan Eibenschutz, director general of Mexico's National Commission of Nuclear Safety and Safeguards. | "What I I was told yesterday is that there might be two people with severe radiation syndrome, but I do not have confirmation," said Juan Eibenschutz, director general of Mexico's National Commission of Nuclear Safety and Safeguards. |
| The shipment of radioactive cobalt-60 went missing early on Monday when thieves stole the cargo truck in which it was being hauled. | The shipment of radioactive cobalt-60 went missing early on Monday when thieves stole the cargo truck in which it was being hauled. |
| The theft triggered alerts in six Mexican state and Mexico City, as well as international notifications to the US and the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. | The theft triggered alerts in six Mexican state and Mexico City, as well as international notifications to the US and the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. |
| It raised concerns that the material could have been stolen to make a dirty bomb, a conventional explosive that disseminates radioactive material. But Mexican officials said that the thieves seemed to have targeted the cargo truck, and probably didn't know about the dangerous cargo. | It raised concerns that the material could have been stolen to make a dirty bomb, a conventional explosive that disseminates radioactive material. But Mexican officials said that the thieves seemed to have targeted the cargo truck, and probably didn't know about the dangerous cargo. |
| The truck was found abandoned on Wednesday about 40 kilometres (24 miles) from where it was stolen, and the container for the radioactive material was found opened. The cobalt-60 pellets were left about a kilometre from the truck in an empty field, where authorities said they were a risk only to anyone who had handled them, but not the surrounding population. | The truck was found abandoned on Wednesday about 40 kilometres (24 miles) from where it was stolen, and the container for the radioactive material was found opened. The cobalt-60 pellets were left about a kilometre from the truck in an empty field, where authorities said they were a risk only to anyone who had handled them, but not the surrounding population. |
| The material was from obsolete radiation therapy equipment at a hospital in the northern city of Tijuana and was being transported to a nuclear waste facility in the state of Mexico, which borders Mexico City. | The material was from obsolete radiation therapy equipment at a hospital in the northern city of Tijuana and was being transported to a nuclear waste facility in the state of Mexico, which borders Mexico City. |
| Eibenschutz said authorities continued to work on Friday at the site where the material was found to extract it safely. | Eibenschutz said authorities continued to work on Friday at the site where the material was found to extract it safely. |
| • This article was amended on Saturday 7 December 2013 to correct the spelling of the unit of radioactivity. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |