Radioactive Leak Detected at Delhi IGI Airport in Cargo from Turkey; 2 Rushed to Hospital

A radioactive leak was reported at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport's cargo terminal on Friday, and two cargo workers were reportedly rushed to the hospital.

Officials suspected that some packets containing radioactive material were brought in by a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul.

An anti-sabotage team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reached the airport and contained the leak. The area has since been cordoned off.

The leak has been plugged, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said.

The radioactive material had leaked from a medical consignment containing 'sodium iodide class 7 category liquid' from Turkey, as per reports. 

Two workers who handled the consignment complained that their eyes were itching, and were taken to AIIMS hospital. 

The packages carrying the material were meant to be delivered to a private hospital in Delhi, for the treatment of cancer. 

"A consignment consisting of ten packets of sodium iodide class 7 category liquid reached the IGI Airport from Istanbul in Turkish Airlines flight number TK 716 around 4.35 a.m.," a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officer told IANS.

"As it was being moved to a secure place from where it had to be sent to Fortis Hospital, a leak was noticed in four of the ten packets," he said. 

Flight operations were not disrupted.