Mumbai, Sep 16 (IANS): High temperature was reported from the cargo area of an Air India plane operating from Mumbai to Nagpur on Friday, and was caused due to a sealed radioactive consignment stowed in cargo hold of the aircraft.

An Air India spokesperson said that it was a normal landing for AI 627 with 72 passengers from Mumbai to Nagpur on Friday.

"No priority landing was sought. After landing, high temperature from the cargo hold was reported to be caused from a sealed consignment of radioactive material. The consignment is offloaded and accepted by the consignee," said the spokesperson.

After necessary clearance from regulatory authorities, AI 628 took off from Nagpur and reached Mumbai at 1.30 p.m. with 148 passengers, the spokesperson added.

As per rules, if dangerous goods classified as radioactive material are to be carried in any aircraft to, from or within India, the operator shall ensure that the consignor or the consignee, as the case may be, has written consent of the Central Government to carry such goods under section 16 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.

It is operator's responsibility that packages and overpacks containing dangerous goods and freight containers containing radioactive materials shall be inspected for evidence of leakage or damage before loading on an aircraft or into a unit load device and such packages, overpacks or freight containers shall be loaded and stowed on an aircraft in accordance with the requirements specified in the Technical Instructions.

The rules also say that an aircraft which has been contaminated by radioactive materials shall immediately be taken out of service and not returned to service until the radiation level at any accessible surface and the non-fixed contamination are not more than the values specified in the Technical Instructions.