Posted on 10/12/2006 1:49:17 PM PDT by Señor Zorro
MADRID (Reuters) - The discovery of radioactive snails at a site in southeastern Spain where three U.S. hydrogen bombs fell by accident 40 years ago may trigger a new joint U.S.-Spanish clean-up operation, officials said on Wednesday.
The hydrogen bombs fell near the fishing village of Palomares in 1966 after a mid-air collision between a bomber and a refuelling craft, in which seven of 11 crewmen died.
Hundreds of tons of soil were removed from the Palomares area and shipped to the United States after high explosive igniters on two bombs detonated on impact, spreading plutonium dust-bearing clouds across nearby fields.
Spanish authorities say the appearance of higher than normal levels of radiation in snails and other creatures shows there may be dangerous levels of plutonium and uranium below ground, and a further clean up could be necessary.
"We have to study the dirt, we have to look underground," said Juan Antonio Rubio, director general of Spain's energy research agency CIEMAT, which is carrying out an investigation with the U.S. Department of Energy.
"We don't know what's down there."
The U.S. and Spain have agreed to share the cost of the initial investigation, which is set to begin in November.
The governments have yet to agree on who would pay for a clean up, according to a U.S. embassy spokesman in Spain.
Spain's government has bought a 25 acre area near Palomares where the bombs fell.
Since 1966, the United States has helped pay for Palomares residents to be checked for signs of radiation poisoning. Spain says there is today no danger from surface radiation.
But it still advises local children not to work in fields at the explosion site, nor eat their snails -- which are a local delicacy.
Thanks, Lavante, I remembered about the nuke that went in the Med, wasn't sure if it happened in the same accident as the ones that hit land.
Hmm, I completely missed the news that Carl Brashear had passed away ~3 months ago - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1672340/posts
*ouch* Good one.
ping
The good news is the radioactivity spreads reeeeeeeaaaalllly slooooooooooooooooooowly.
No problem, R4F. My bro worked as an airrefueler for SAC in the 1980's; he told me all about it!
(Well, him and a google search!) ;)
Super slime, it glows in the dark.
Ohhh - Thank you for the the reply.
Got it -- that is what caused my hair to fall out - I wonder if I can sue somebody
Yes I was here on holiday 40 years ago. :)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.