Urgent Search Continues in Australia as Tiny Radioactive Capsule Remains Missing

The capsule is just 6 millimeters in diameter and 8 millimeters tall, but could cause burns or radiation sickness if touched

The search for radioactive capsule. Photo: Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock

An urgent search for a small radioactive capsule remains underway in Western Australia, three days after officials alerted the public to the incident.

According to an updated alert from The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) on Monday, the capsule was packaged on Jan. 10 to be transported to Perth for repair. The package holding the capsule arrived in Perth on Jan. 16 and was stored in the licensed service provider's secure radiation store.

On Jan. 25, the gauge was unpacked for inspection but when it was opened, it was discovered that the gauge inside was "broken apart with one of the four mounting bolts missing and the source itself and all screws on the gauge also missing."

The DFES in Western Australia issued an urgent warning Friday evening for parts of the Pilbara, Midwest Gascoyne, Goldfields-Midlands and Perth Metropolitan regions along the Great Northern Highway because of the missing capsule, which is dangerous.

According to the updated alert, DFES and radiation specialists are searching along the Great Northern Highway by driving north and south directions at slow speeds. The search teams are using radiation survey meters to detect radiation levels to try and locate the capsule.

The search area is longer than Great Britain, according to Reuters.

Western Australia's Chief Health Officer Dr. Andrew Robertson said at an emergency press conference on Friday the capsule was lost in transport between a mine site north of Newman and Malaga, according to Australian broadcaster ABC News.

Search for the radioactive capsule. Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock

The capsule gives off the equivalent of receiving 10 X-rays in one hour to anyone who comes within a meter of it, Robertson said.

Anyone who gets close to or makes contact with the capsule could face what is known as "acute radiation sickness," he added, according to The Guardian. Among the long-term risks of exposure is cancer.

"If you have contact or have it close to you, you could either end up with skin damage, including skin burns, over a period of time," Robertson said, per the outlet. "We are recommending people not be close to it or hang on to it."

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Officials are asking anyone who traveled between Newman and Perth since Jan. 10 to check their tires for the capsule.

The object is only 6 millimeters (or less than a quarter inch) in diameter and 8 millimeters (less than a third of an inch) tall — about the same size as an Australian 10-cent piece, according to DFES.

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Simon Trott, the chief executive of mining company Rio Tinto Iron Ore, has apologized for the incident. According to the Associated Press, the company used a third-party contractor to package and transport the gauge.

"We recognize this is clearly very concerning and are sorry for the alarm it has caused in the Western Australian community," Trott said, per the news agency. "As well as fully supporting the relevant authorities, we have launched our own investigation to understand how the capsule was lost in transit."

Police say the incident appears to be accidental and no criminal charges are likely to be filed, per the AP.

Those who do make contact with the capsule should "seek immediate medical advice from your local health service or visit a hospital emergency department," DFES said.

Anyone who encounters the capsule is asked to keep at least 5 meters away from it and are advised not to touch it, put it in a bag, or put it in a vehicle. Instead, they are asked to report the finding "immediately" to DEFS by calling 13 33 37.

DFES says it is managing the incident alongside the Department of Health and WA Police.