BP’s chief executive Tony Hayward was today on his way to Louisiana as the worst US oil spill in decades continued to spread into precious shoreline habitat along the Gulf Coast.

The worst US oil spill in decades spread into precious shoreline habitat along the Gulf Coast today as documents emerged showing British Petroleum downplayed the possibility of a catastrophic accident at the offshore rig that exploded.

BP downplayed the possibility of a catastrophic accident at an offshore oil rig that exploded and caused the worst spill in decades along America’s Gulf Coast, it emerged today.