Gulf of Mexico oil well 'not yet plugged'

BP's broken Gulf of Mexico oil well is not yet plugged for good, and work on what has been touted as the permanent solution will need to continue, the US government said today.

Retired coastguard Thad Allen, the government's point man for the spill response, said officials were still evaluating the best way to finish the relief well that is part of the "bottom kill" operation. But he said that crews must move forward drilling the relief well.