Sting in the tail
15 Jan 2000

The Korean Air Boeing 747 that crashed in Essex last month has contaminated the site with depleted uranium (DU). Boeing included 300 kilograms of the exceptionally dense material in the tail of the plane to act as a counterweight.

Air investigators insist there is no danger because the fire would have needed to exceed 800 °C for several hours to have released harmful quantities of DU. However, given suggestions that DU contributed to the symptoms known as Gulf War syndrome, local residents are concerned. As New Scientist went to press, nearly a third of the DU remained unaccounted for.

From New Scientist magazine, vol 165 issue 2221, 15/01/2000, page 5