Radioactive Material Stolen in Venezuela

Venezuela announced yesterday that a truck carrying a capsule of highly radioactive iridium 192 was stolen Sunday night, Reuters reported (see GSN, May 24).

“We have a state of emergency at a national and regional level and are looking for the capsule everywhere,” said civil defense director Col. Antonio Rivero.  

Rivero indicated authorities believe the thieves unknowingly took the capsule while stealing the truck.

However, Angel Diaz, nuclear affairs director at the Venezuelan Energy Ministry, said he could not discount the possibility that the material was taken for “malicious purposes” (Reuters, Dec. 19).

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