A trapped piece of drill pipe prevented a fail-safe device from stopping last year's massive BP Gulf oil spill, a US government investigation has found.

British and Irish holidaymakers forced to abandon their cruise liner when it struck ice are expected to be flown to mainland South America today.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that there were four Irish people among 100 passengers forced to take to lifeboats today after their cruise liner hit ice and began taking on water in the Antarctic Ocean.