Rough seas hamper oil spill clear-up work

Work to remove the 300-ton piece of equipment that failed to stop the massive BP oil spill could be delayed until the weekend or longer because of rough seas.

Retired coastguard admiral Thad Allen, the US government’s point man on the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, said today that seas were 6ft or higher and had to be closer to 4ft for the work to be done safely.