#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: T-Hawk Helicopter Crashed onto Reactor 2 Building

The US-made unmanned helicopter T-Hawk crashed on the roof of the Reactor 2 reactor building of Fukushima I Nuke Power Plant as it was taking air samples for radiation measurement.

Never a dull day at Fukushima I.

Yomiuri Shinbun (12:31PM JST 6/24/2011) reports:

東京電力は２４日、福島第一原子力発電所２号機上空で放射性物質の濃度を測るため空気を採取していた米国製無人ヘリコプター「Ｔホーク」が、同日午前７時ごろに操縦不能に陥り、２号機の原子炉建屋の屋上に墜落したと発表した。

TEPCO announced on June 24 that the US-made unmanned helicopter T-Hawk became inoperable at about 7AM and crashed into the roof of the Reactor 2's reactor building. The helicopter was taking air samples to measure radiation.

　Ｔホークは重さが約８キロ、プロペラの差し渡しは約５０センチ。炎や煙は確認されていないが、クレーン車で屋上の画像を撮影するなどして、建屋に損傷がないかどうか確認を急ぐ。

T-Hawk weighs about 8 kilogram, with the wingspan of about 50 centimeters. There is no fire or smoke observed on the building, but TEPCO will use the crane to take a video of the roof and make sure there is no damage to the building.

　２号機の原子炉建屋は１９日夜から外部に面した扉を開き、建屋内にこもっていた高湿度の空気の放出を始めている。無人ヘリは無線操縦で２号機上空を飛び、原子炉建屋から出ている空気を採取して、着陸後に放射線量などを測定する予定だった。

The reactor building's double door has been open since the night of June 19 to release the humid air inside the building. T-Hawk was to fly over the Reactor 2 to collect air samples, and to measure the radiation after landing.

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