Radiation found on British planes linked to poisoned Russian spy; passengers alerted

LONDON — Officials found traces of radiation on two British Airways jets, and the airline appealed Wednesday to tens of thousands of passengers who flew to or from Moscow and other European cities to come forward as investigators widened the search for clues into the poisoning death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.

The airline said the "risk to public health is low," adding that it was in the process of contacting tens of thousands of passengers who flew on the jets.

Two planes at London's Heathrow Airport tested positive for traces of radiation and a third plane has been taken out of service in Moscow awaiting examination, British Airways said.

The airline said it was contacted by the British government Tuesday night and told to ground the jets and to allow investigators looking into Litvinenko's death to test them for radiation.

High doses of polonium-210 — a rare radioactive element usually manufactured in specialized nuclear facilities — were found in Litvinenko's body, and traces of radiation have been found at sites in London connected with the inquiry into his death.

It was not immediately clear how radioactive traces got on the British Airways planes. Authorities refused to specify whether the substance detected on the jets was polonium-210.

All three planes had been on the London-Moscow route, British Airways said. In the last three weeks, the planes had also traveled to routes across Europe including Barcelona, Frankfurt and Athens. Around 30,000 passengers had traveled on 220 flights on those planes, said Kate Gay, an airline spokeswoman.

"The airline is in the process of making contact with customers who have traveled on flights operated by these aircraft, which operate within Europe," British Airways said in a statement.

"British Airways understands that from advice it has been given that the risk to public health is low," the airline statement said.

The airline has published the flights affected on its Web site, and advised customers who took the flights to contact a special help-line set up by the British Health Ministry (see accompanying story for details).

Litvinenko, a former colonel with Russia's Federal Security Service — the successor agency to the KGB — had been a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin before his death from radiation poisoning on Nov. 23. From his deathbed, he blamed Putin for his poisoning. Putin has strongly denied the charge.

Britain's Home Secretary John Reid, who chaired a meeting of COBRA, the government's emergency committee, said tests on the planes were part of a wider scientific investigation into sites that could be linked to Litvinenko's death.

Following Litvinenko's death, more than 1,100 people called a health hot line over concerns they might be at risk from polonium poisoning, which is deadly in tiny amounts if ingested or inhaled. Sixty-eight have been referred to health authorities, the Health Protection Agency said — including the 49 hospital staff.

Eight have been referred to a special clinic as a precaution. The tests should take about a week.

Traces of radiation have been found at six sites visited by Litvinenko.

A coroner will perform an autopsy on Litvinenko on Friday, "subject to appropriate precautions," said the local authority responsible, Camden Council. Doctors had sought expert advice on whether Litvinenko's radioactive body posed a threat to those performing the post-mortem.

A coroner's inquest will be opened Thursday and then adjourned until the police investigation is complete, the council said.