Australian nuclear body joins hunt for missing radioactive capsule

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Members from Australia’s nuclear safety agency have joined the search for a tiny but highly-radioactive capsule on Tuesday after it was misplaced in transit on a stretch longer than the length of Great Britain earlier this month, sending Western Australia under a radiation alert. Officials from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency said they were working with the Western Australian government to find the capsule. Additionally, radiation services specialists from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation have also joined the search operation along with detection and imaging equipment, the agency said. "It will take approximately five days to travel the original route, an estimated 1400km, with crews travelling north and south along Great Northern Highway," said Darryl Ray, the acting superintendent for Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services, late on Monday.