Radioactive Device Burnt in Okinawa Chopper Crash

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Radioactive Device Burnt in U.S. Chopper Crash in Japan: Embassy 

Defense News
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, TOKYO
September 3, 2004

A low-level radioactive device was incinerated when a U.S. military
helicopter crashed in a built-up area of Japan last month, the U.S.
embassy said Sept. 3, adding there was no risk to humans. 

The crash in a university campus in the southern island of Okinawa
caused angry reactions in Japan where more than 44,000 U.S. troops are
based. 

"The amount of Strontium-90 consumed in the fire poses no risk to
humans," the embassy said in a statement. ?This amount equates to an
exposure much less than a normal chest X-ray or a flight across the
Pacific.? 
 

"There are no traces of radioactive contamination at the crash site," it
added. 

Two crewmen were injured when the CH-53 helicopter swiped a university
building before landing in the campus grounds on August 13. 

Five-hundred microcuries of Strontium-90 were contained in part of the
rotor safety device which was apparently ?vaporized? in the crash, the
embassy said. 

...

for the entire article, see
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3153588&C=america
-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org
_______________________________________________
Military mailing list
Military@list.cpeo.org
http://www.cpeo.org/mailman/listinfo/military