Ecological disaster looms as oil from damaged BP well head reaches US shoreline

Link to the article: Channel 4 News

By Kris Jepson

Updated on 30 April 2010

The prospect of an ecological disaster looms along America’s vulnerable Gulf of Mexico coastline as oil from a damaged BP well head begins to wash ashore. But BP’s head of group media tells Channel 4 News that the cause of the accident is still not known.

It is BP’s fourth major incident in the United States in as many years.

The rig exploded last Friday, killing 11 men. One week on, oil is still belching out of the open well hole, 5,000 feet below sea level, at the rate of 5,000 barrels a day.

Desperate efforts have been launched to try to protect the wildlife habitats along the coast.

President Obama has ordered a complete halt on oil exploration in the area.

The White House has suspended any new exploration in the Gulf pending the review of last week's explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.