Suitcase filled with radioactive material leaks on plane after landing

The substance's risk is 'low'.

A suitcase filled with a ‘low-intensity’ radioactive material was discovered on a plane after landing while passengers were on board.

The aircraft with 127 passengers landed this morning at Terminal 1 of Barcelona-El Prat Airport, about 15km southwest of the capital, from Zurich.

As the Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) craft was being unloaded, a suitcase possibly leaking low-level radioactive material was discovered.

The bag, destined for Salamanca in northwest Spain, contained a ‘radiological medical product’ which treats cancer according to the Catalan newspaper El Nacional.

The country’s civil defence force said a cardboard box containing the suitcase had been ‘damaged’.

Officials activated ’emergency plans in response to the warning of an incident in a package with radioactive material, of low intensity, transported in an aircraft’ at around 10.20am.

With the Aerocat plan for aeronautical emergencies and the Radcat plan for radioactive emergencies in action, the terminal has since been cordoned off.

Radiological experts have carried out checks and declared the area ‘safe’, the civil defence force, Protecció civil, said.

‘The operations will be withdrawn and the Aerocat and Radcat plans are deactivated,’ the agency said at 1.35pm local time.

Bombers, Catalonia’s fire service, said 13 fire crews had been on the scene.

Any remaining passengers who had not departed the plane had been told to remain inside until all checks were done.

The Emergency Medical System said on X that ‘no assistance’ was needed and ‘no one was affected’.

Flights weren’t affected by the incident, Spain’s airport operator AENA said.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has been approached for comment.

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