The licensee reported a loss of a 10 Ci [based on source decay starting December of 2005]
IR-192 radiography camera on Wake Island. In preparation for evacuation of the island on 8/29/2006 the camera was loaded in a type B(U) storage container. On 8/30/2006 Super Typhoon
Yoke made land fall on Wake Island producing 150 mph winds and 30 - 40 ft storm surge. The status of the camera is unknown due to the uncertain condition of Wake Island. There currently is no information of the habitability of Wake Island and thus it is uncertain when a search can be conducted.
The licensee will update the status of the material as more information becomes available.
- * * UPDATE ON 09/25/06 AT 1300 ET BY PETE MILLAR TO MACKINNON * * *
Per Pete Millar the US NAVY landed on Wake Island and the CONEX shipping container, in which the Industrial Nuclear Radiography Camera is stored, is still on the island and it has not been opened. In about 2 weeks a barge will leave Wake Island to ship the CONEX shipping container back to Alaska Industrial X-Ray. Mr. Millar said that they should have Industrial radiography camera back in their possession in about 3 weeks.
R4DO (Zach Dunham) & NMSS EO (Greg Morell) notified.
- * * UPDATE ON 03/20/07 AT 1346 EDT FROM PETE MILLAR TO MACKINNON * * *
Alaska Industrial X-Ray, regained possession of their radiography camera on 12/15/06.
R4DO (Greg Pick) & FSME (Greg Morell) notified.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Category 3 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for some hours. It could possibly - although it is unlikely - be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of days to weeks. These sources are typically used in practices such as fixed industrial gauges involving high activity sources (for example, level gauges, dredger gauges, conveyor gauges and spinning pipe gauges) and well logging.
Although IAEA categorization of this event is typically based on device type, the staff has been made aware of the actual activity of the source, and after calculation determines that it is a Category 3 event.
Note: the value assigned by device type "Category 2" is different than the calculated value "Category 3