News: New oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico

Marine life off the coast of Louisiana has already been devastated by the BP oil spill Photo: P.J. Hahn/AP

“A new oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has created a mile-long slick after a tug boat struck an abandoned well off the Louisiana coast.

A crew was scrambled from the Deepwater Horizon clean-up operation after the collision sent a plume of oil and gas 100ft into the air.

The spill in Barataria Bay, which is surrounded by wildlife-rich wetlands, is at least the third leak since in the area since the BP oil catastrophe began on April 10.

The area of ocean 65 miles south of New Orleans would normally be occupied by fishermen, shrimpers and oystermen, but it has been deserted since the BP spill began.

The abandoned wellhead burst in the early hours of Tuesday morning after being hit by a tug boat that was pushing a dredge barge.

About 6,000 feet of boom was placed around the spill, and the Coast Guard was surveying the scene from a helicopter.” Read more >>

Source: Telegraph.co.uk / July 28, 2010 9:20AM BST