Radioactive equipment disappears in southern New Mexico

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) - The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission radioactive equipment disappeared in southern New Mexico, according to Mexico's federal government.

The missing equipment is described as a container with Iridium-192, which is used for medical treatments and also in the oil industry, according to the commission.

Mexican officials said contact with the equipment was lost between Carlsbad and Jal, New Mexico.

Mexico issued an alert for its states of Sonora and Chihuahua, even though officials said it's unlikely the equipment will cross the border into Mexico.

The Atomic Energy Agency considers this a category 2 risk if there is exposure or direct contact with the material inside the equipment.

Mexico said being exposed to the radiation can cause permanent injuries or can turn deadly in matter of minutes or days.

Civil Protection Units were activated for search protocols to secure the equipment.