Summary of Palomares Incident

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tbm accident occurred at 0917 on January 17 aa the pinnae fltv wastvard over the Mediterranean J»»t off Palooarea. Ml four crav Mabere of the tanker died la the explosion; 4 of 7 of the »-52 survived by ejecting and parachuting. Doe to the high headwinds, objects with chutes ware carried eastward into the sea; those whose full chutes did not deploy continued a he 11 is tic course onto the shore and a few kilosMters inland. Ml 4 weapons in the 4*52 were freed of their rack: #1 landed on the shore ares intact, having baaa flawed a bit by a awe11 ribbon chute; #2 want fur thereat inland and underwent n one-point explosion which disrupted the weapon and dispersed Pu and fu02 into the oavlroowent; disrupt ion-dispersion of fu and PuOj. Ho one of the 1340 Inhabitants of PaloaMres was injured by the explosion or falling wreckage. Weapon #4 la the one finally recovered (row the sea; its deployed para chute is responsible for its drifting out to see. It was found to be completely intact. There were 240 "contacts'* before the real one; the sea floor was silty and visibility was vary poor. Pu was found in the imnedlats vicinity of the one-point explosion* and FuOj was found at those points and downwind in the expected wind dispersed plune-pettem. This is an area of nouatsloous seal-desert like Mew Mexico and good winds and dry eandy soil wakes for unusually distant dispersion. Military personnel (16th Air Force) were on the ecene t hours leter and wooltoriag began the next morning. Members of the Spanish Junta Energla Hue1ears (JMK) Joined in with their mobile health physics teams shortly after, and it was postibla to make definitive decisions on the spot and have then carried out. First the points of impact were marked off and prohibited; then the major downwind plumes were outlined and finally the aero perimeters were identi fied. All pieces of highly contaminated metal were collected for apeclai recovery—thest: ware relatively few; non-contamlnated metal places were taken aboard ahlp for ocean disposal. The occupation of the people consists of irrigated tomato farming, growing alfalfa and raising a few cows, aheep, goats, and chickens. The tomatoes on their stakes and alfalfa wherever found coot amine ted ware uprooted and piled for mulching and disposal; all non-c ontamlna tad plant material was taken to a distant beach and burned when there ves an off-shore braexe. An area of about 1C square miles was crisscrossed 6 times at ansa length die tones by searchers with monitoring dsvices and/or smtal detectors. As a consequence, there is little chance of contamination or of earns object US DOE ARCHIVES

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that ell eoll coofcewloeted ebore e eertele level would bo reworod end for our port It wee decided tbet the eiapleet way to beadle the wetter wee to berrel It ead dlepoee of it fa ooe of etete-elde burial grouade. About 5500 a tael oil druwe were filled with the eoll aad foliage contami nated to the hlgheet degree. The earth contaminated to e low to medluo degree (within tolerable levele la ug/m2 ee aaaeured bj alpha aouata per alauta per a2) wee deep plowed, aad the very loweet level of cootamlnatad earth wae e Imply watered down. The rocky arena were monitorad on a grid basic aad ell hot epots removed by pick ead ehovel. All pereonael, both Spaaleh ead Aaerlcea, were aoaltored for cootaainatioo. Certain of tha tpaaish vl) legars had alpha counts la their urine a hut It probably got there from lead or veeeel contamination. All these people ere being watched and/or etudied for Internal eon tarninatloa with special amphasla beginning with the poet 120 to 150 day period. The JIE will look after tha Spanish people according to tha following four 1. Population: Chest counts, urine counts ead whole body counts on 40 or so of tha people west likely to thou contamination. More or less will be studied depending oa how these 40 check out. 2. Air Sampling: Due to the winds aad possible resuspeaslon, 4 air-monitors In specific locations will keep tabs on airborne contamination If any. The mlcrometerology of the area will he investigated. 5. Producex All vegetation will he spot-sampled hut so n regular heels throughout the year with respect to earth ead raa us pans loo variables. 4. Soil Study: Translocation of tha PnOj plowed under will be investi gated with respect to time ead node of agricultural practice. The fern areas mow ere beck la operation aad the spring crops art la. The produce will be carefully watched. The studies on the people will continue ead the whole body counting will be la operation by about July 1, 1966. All future monitoring ead Investigation will be la the heads of the Spanish JUS. As data become available, the erlglaal arcs of study, acme 603 acres, will undoubtedly contract. ffrOE ARCHIVES All claims for loss, daaage, etc. have been paid promptly ead oa the spot. The Spanish were hired to wee their own tractors, plows, etc. They ead their government have been most cooperative end felling economic less on their produce (propaganda by their agricultural competitors) there should be no further problems; actually the lead ead farms are so much better plowed ead ditched ead the bouses cleaner aad la better repair that the before end after photos are like advertisements.