Stolen Catgeory-2 source at Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, México.


Print View Posted on: 08 March 2021

Event Date: 19 September 2020 Event Type: Radiation Source
Event Location: Mexico, Ciudad Obregon, Sonora INES Rating: 1 (Final)

On September 19, 2020, was stolen from the back of a vehicle parked on public roads the theft an industrial radiography camera (model SPEC 150) owned by the company Radiografía y Ultrasonido Industrial de Veracruz S.A. of C.V.
The equipment contains a category 2 radioactive source of Iridium-192 with an activity of 2.5 Tbq.
At 3 pm, the CNSNS and Civil Protection issued an alert for 4 states where the stolen equipment could be located and, it was also indicated that the handling of the radioactive source could cause permanent injuries.

On March 4, 2021 (23:00 UTC), the CNSNS received a notification about the finding of the SPEC 150 camera by local civil protection authorities. It was unearthed and cordoned off by Civil Protection near Ciudad Obregón.

On March 6, 2021 (05:00 UTC), the Licensee was able to recover the missing camera. Through a GM detector, a radiographer confirmed that the Ir-192 radioactive source was in the shielded position.

INES Rating: 1 - Anomaly (Final) as per 07 March 2021
Release beyond authorized limits? No
Overexposure of a member of the public? No
Overexposure of a worker? No

Contamination spread within the facility? No
Damage to radiological barriers (incl. fuel damage) within the facility? No

Degradation of Defence In-Depth Yes

Person injured physically or casualty? No
Is there a continuing problem? No

Victor Gonzalez
Comision Nacional de Seguridad Nuclear y Salvaguardias

vmgonzalez@cnsns.gob.mx
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