Rescue teams exposed to radiation in Japan

A team of Australian and New Zealand search and rescue workers has been exposed to low levels of radiation after their helicopter was forced to land near Japan's disaster-stricken nuclear power complex.

The leaders of both countries announced the contamination today and said they were satisfied the workers' health was not at risk.

Ice on the rotors of the US helicopter they were using caused an unscheduled landing today at Fukushima airport, about 12 miles outside the exclusion zone around the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant.

The team was tested when they returned to base, and two Australians and two New Zealanders were found to have "very low levels of contamination on their boots", Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said.