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| Radiation 'found at 12 locations' | Radiation 'found at 12 locations' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| UK experts probing the death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko have found traces of radioactivity at 12 locations, the home secretary has said. | UK experts probing the death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko have found traces of radioactivity at 12 locations, the home secretary has said. |
| Radioactive traces have been found on two planes and a third is awaiting checks. British Airways is contacting 33,000 passengers from 221 flights. | Radioactive traces have been found on two planes and a third is awaiting checks. British Airways is contacting 33,000 passengers from 221 flights. |
| John Reid told Parliament that a fourth aircraft at Heathrow airport was also the subject of the probe. | John Reid told Parliament that a fourth aircraft at Heathrow airport was also the subject of the probe. |
| But he stressed that the health risk to the public was low. | But he stressed that the health risk to the public was low. |
| Mr Litvinenko, an ex-KGB agent and a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died last week of radiation poisoning. | Mr Litvinenko, an ex-KGB agent and a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died last week of radiation poisoning. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY I work in the one of the office buildings where Polonium 210 has been detected, and we have had no assistance at all from the authorities Gate, London Send us your experiences | HAVE YOUR SAY I work in the one of the office buildings where Polonium 210 has been detected, and we have had no assistance at all from the authorities Gate, London Send us your experiences |
| Traces of radioactive polonium-210 were discovered in his body, and more traces of the substance have been found at venues he visited in the capital on 1 November. | Traces of radioactive polonium-210 were discovered in his body, and more traces of the substance have been found at venues he visited in the capital on 1 November. |
| Earlier, an inquest into the death of Mr Litvinenko was opened and adjourned at a London court. | |
| Coroner Dr Andrew Reid said the level of polonium 210 in Mr Litvinenko's system indicated it had come from a source "other than a natural one". An autopsy will be carried out on Friday | Coroner Dr Andrew Reid said the level of polonium 210 in Mr Litvinenko's system indicated it had come from a source "other than a natural one". An autopsy will be carried out on Friday |
| 'Five planes' | 'Five planes' |
| Mr Reid said that more locations could be screened for radiation. | Mr Reid said that more locations could be screened for radiation. |
| "To date, around 24 venues have or are being monitored and experts have confirmed traces of contamination at around 12 of these venues," he said. He gave no details of the locations. | "To date, around 24 venues have or are being monitored and experts have confirmed traces of contamination at around 12 of these venues," he said. He gave no details of the locations. |
| Experts have suggested that polonium 210 could be present in locations, including the planes, either because it leaked from a container or because it was present in passengers' bodily fluids. | Experts have suggested that polonium 210 could be present in locations, including the planes, either because it leaked from a container or because it was present in passengers' bodily fluids. |
| LITVINENKO'S MOVEMENTS 1 November 20061: Meeting at Millennium Hotel2: Meeting at Itsu Sushi bar3: Home in Muswell Hill4: Admitted to Barnet hospital17 November5: Transferred to University College Hospital where dies on 23 November | LITVINENKO'S MOVEMENTS 1 November 20061: Meeting at Millennium Hotel2: Meeting at Itsu Sushi bar3: Home in Muswell Hill4: Admitted to Barnet hospital17 November5: Transferred to University College Hospital where dies on 23 November |
| Other key sites: 7 Down Street25, 58 Grosvenor StreetSheraton HotelHeathrow Airport href="/1/hi/uk/6159363.stm" class="">Passengers 'not getting help' | |
| Of those members of the public who were concerned about potential exposure to radiation, 69 had been referred to the Health Protection Agency as a precaution, he said. | Of those members of the public who were concerned about potential exposure to radiation, 69 had been referred to the Health Protection Agency as a precaution, he said. |
| Of those, 18 have been referred to a specialist clinic. | Of those, 18 have been referred to a specialist clinic. |
| Mr Reid said that health officials believed that radioactive traces found on one of two British Airways planes which have shown contamination pose "no residual public health risk". Checks are continuing on the second. | Mr Reid said that health officials believed that radioactive traces found on one of two British Airways planes which have shown contamination pose "no residual public health risk". Checks are continuing on the second. |
| A third BA plane remains on the ground on Moscow, pending checks. "BA has decided not to return it to London until the position is clearer," Mr Reid said. | A third BA plane remains on the ground on Moscow, pending checks. "BA has decided not to return it to London until the position is clearer," Mr Reid said. |
| Officials were also interested in a fourth plane - a Boeing 737 leased to a Russian private carrier, Transaero, which landed at Heathrow airport this morning. A spokeswoman for the airliner said that no toxic substance had been found on board. | Officials were also interested in a fourth plane - a Boeing 737 leased to a Russian private carrier, Transaero, which landed at Heathrow airport this morning. A spokeswoman for the airliner said that no toxic substance had been found on board. |
| A fifth Russian plane was also said to be of interest. | A fifth Russian plane was also said to be of interest. |
| "There may be other aeroplanes of which we don't at this stage know, but those are the five that we know of, the home secretary added. | "There may be other aeroplanes of which we don't at this stage know, but those are the five that we know of, the home secretary added. |
| 'Very low levels' | 'Very low levels' |
| A quarter of the 221 flights made by the three British Airways short-haul 767 aircraft between 25 October and 29 November were between London and Moscow. | A quarter of the 221 flights made by the three British Airways short-haul 767 aircraft between 25 October and 29 November were between London and Moscow. |
| EXPOSURE RISK Contact with carrier's sweat or urine could lead to exposureBut polonium-210 must be ingested to cause damageRadiation has very short range and cannot pass through skinWashing eliminates traces | EXPOSURE RISK Contact with carrier's sweat or urine could lead to exposureBut polonium-210 must be ingested to cause damageRadiation has very short range and cannot pass through skinWashing eliminates traces |
| A spokeswoman for BA said that the airline had been "proactively calling passengers" and hoped to have contacted the majority by the end of Thursday, but some passengers spoke of trouble finding information. | A spokeswoman for BA said that the airline had been "proactively calling passengers" and hoped to have contacted the majority by the end of Thursday, but some passengers spoke of trouble finding information. |
| HPA Chief Executive Pat Troop said that experts believed the risk of serious contamination to passengers was small. | HPA Chief Executive Pat Troop said that experts believed the risk of serious contamination to passengers was small. |