New data underlines need for ‘continued vigilance’, agency warns
More than half of all thefts of nuclear and other radioactive material reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB) since 1993 occurred during authorised transport, with the share rising to nearly 70% in the past decade.
The new data released by the IAEA this week underlines the need for continued vigilance in transport security, the agency said in a statement.
Of the 4,626 reported incidents in the ITDB from 1993 to 2025, 730 were thefts of radioactive material, including attempted thefts. Almost 55% of those thefts occurred during transport, and in more than 59% of those transport-related cases – about 400 incidents – the stolen radioactive material has not been recovered.
The ITDB is the IAEA’s information system on incidents of illicit trafficking and other unauthorised activities and events involving nuclear and other radioactive material. It was established in 1995 to help combat illicit nuclear trafficking and strengthen nuclear security.
“Nuclear and other radioactive material remains vulnerable to security threats during transport, and data from the ITDB underscores the continued need to strengthen security,” said Elena Buglova, director of the IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Security.
In 2025, 236 incidents were reported by 34 of the 145 ITDB participating states. This number is higher than in the 147 incidents in 2024, but the IAEA attributed the increase to retrospective reporting.
The release of the ITDB factsheet coincides with this week’s International Conference on the Safe and Secure Transport of Nuclear and Radioactive Material.
The IAEA estimates that millions of shipments of nuclear and other radioactive material are transported annually for peaceful applications in energy, medicine, education, agriculture and industry.
