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Germanwings ‘all clear’ in radiation scare
A Germanwings Airbus has been cleared of having polonium-210 radiation traces after it was discovered that a Russian businessman connected with the death of former KGB agent Alexander Litwinenko flew on the aircraft.
A detailed examination by the German Federal Office for Radiation Proection found no traces of polonium-210 on board the A319 on which Dmitry Kovtun had flown from Hamburg to London on November 1.
Kovtun is being investigated by Hamburg police in connection with the death of former KGB agent Alexander Litwinenko.
A Germanwings spokespman said: “Naturally, we are very relieved that the aircraft has not been contaminated and our passengers were not put in any danger. We would like to thank the Federal Office with whom we have worked very closely to help them progress their investigations as swiftly as possible.
“Hamburg police contacted us with information that Mr Kovtun could had travelled with Germanwings on 1 November 2006 from Hamburg and London. Internal investigations of Germanwings confirmed this. Dmitry Kovtun was a passenger on Germanwings flight 4U 7342 on 1 November 2006. At this stage of the investigation it is believed to be the only flight the Russian businessman made with Germanwings.
“Our immediate action was to take the aircraft concerned, an Airbus A319 immediately out of service and make it available to the Federal Office for Radiation Protection in Cologne/Bonn for further investigations.”
Experts say that pollonium-210 is not a danger to health unless it is taken into the body, for example, by ingestion.
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