A Swiss Air jet has been cordoned off at Barcelona airport after an alleged radioactive spill from a suitcase in the plane’s hold.
Teams for air emergencies as well as radiological specialist were called to Terminal 1 at the El Prat airport, parts of which have since been closed due to the ‘spill of a low-intensity radioactive material’, according to local media reports.
The passengers who were on the Swiss Air flight from Zurich to Barcelona have reportedly been forced to remain on the plane.
Meanwhile five workers who were working in the warehouse at the time the alleged spill was discovered were taken to hospital as a precaution.
The spokesperson for the Government of Catalonia, Patricia Plaja, said her agency had no evidence that there are ‘seriously affected people’, according to local outlet 20 Minutos.
A Swiss Air jet has been cordoned off at Barcelona airport after an alleged radioactive spill from a suitcase (file image)
Firefighters are working on the incident with 13 crews to make sure the area is safe for the public.
The spill was found at 10.48am local time (9.48am UK time) this morning and reportedly came from a suitcase holding medical equipment.
Because the suitcase was already on the plane when the suspected radioactive spill was discovered, the passengers were not allowed to disembark the aircraft.
Radiology experts are yet to assess the risk related to the suitcase and the suspected spill.
Company Aena, which manages the El Prat airport, told local media that the checks were part of its protocal.
It added that the incident was ‘minor’ and that there is no damage to the airport’s infrastructure following the reported spill.
A regional emergency response coordination centre said: ‘The emergency contingency plan for radiological emergencies has been activated this morning over a radioactive source inside an aircraft.’
has contacted Swiss Air for comment.
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.