Kiev Visitors Show No Harm From Radiation

More than 80 British and American students who returned to Moscow from Kiev today because of the Chernobyl nuclear accident were immediately examined for exposure to radiation. A British diplomat said he was told that the tests showed the students were in no danger.

“To my knowledge, all of them are well and in no danger at all,” said the diplomat, who said information on the tests was given to the British Embassy in Moscow.

“There were different levels of radiation detected, not particularly significant as far as I understand it,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Even at the top end of the range, we believe it is well within safety limits.”

The students were tested at a Moscow hospital after arriving from Kiev, the city of 2.4 million people located 80 miles from the crippled Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The tests were conducted at the suggestion of Soviet authorities and were done by Soviet doctors.

Leaving Moscow Today

The student group planned to leave Moscow later today on a British Airways flight to London.

The students, who had been in Kiev for about two weeks, said they decided to cut short their 10-week tour because of the possible health hazard from radiation.

“Life is going on totally as normal, absolutely,” said Hank Birnbaum of Sagle, Ida., who was coordinating the students’ programs in Kiev.

“It’s unfortunate we have to leave and it’s also unfortunate we can’t find out concretely what has happened and what exactly the level of danger was when we were in Kiev, or even here,” Birnbaum said.

One American student who refused to identify herself complained that she thought the significance of the accident “has been blown out of proportion” and that cutting short their visit was unnecessary.

Geiger Counter Screening

The students were given blood and urine tests, blood pressure checks and were screened with a Geiger counter, said Paul Foldi, 21, of Wilmington, Del., as he and the others prepared to depart for London from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.

Students told television reporters that they were given certificates that they understood said they were radiation-free.

The students told ABC-TV that Soviet acquaintances did not seem anxious or to want to leave Kiev.

“We just have different standards,” one girl said. “We are actually aware of the risk of low-level radiation. . . . (The Soviets) feel they have all the information and do not need to leave.”