Officials to set fire to Mexico oil spill
Published:Wednesday | April 28, 2010 | 12:44 PM
US Officials say they are considering setting fire to an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as efforts to stem a leak from a rig that exploded and sank are failing.
About 1,000 barrels of oil a day have been gushing into the sea since an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon platform last week caused the rig to sink.
The coast guard is concerned that, unless controlled, the leak could cause one of the worst spills in US history.
Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry, who is in charge of the US clean-up effort says the controlled burn could start later far from shore.
She said work on sealing leaks using robotic submersibles could take months.
Meanwhile, eleven of the rig\'s workers are still missing and presumed dead in the disaster off the Louisiana coast.