Authorities have launched an investigation to determine how a tiny but potentially deadly radioactive capsule got lost as it was transported from a West Australian Rio Tinto mine to Perth.
An urgent search continues for the 8 by 6 millimetre unit that is believed to have fallen off the back of a truck on its 1400 kilometre journey from Newman to a depot in the Perth suburb of Malaga.
Emergency services say they are hampered in their efforts by a lack of equipment and have called on the Commonwealth and other states to provide more, including units that can be fitted to a vehicle.
