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April 23, 2010

Environmental Disaster Feared as La. Rig Sinks; 11 Missing Feared Dead
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The oil rig that exploded off Louisiana this week has sunk in the Gulf
of Mexico, raising fears of a major environmental disaster as hopes fade
for the rescue of eleven missing workers. The rig had burned for two
days since exploding Tuesday night. Experts say as many as 336,000
gallons of crude oil could be rising from the sea floor per day, posing
a major threat to the ecosystem of the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts.
There are also fears some 700,000 gallons of diesel fuel aboard the ship
could have been released in the explosion, adding to the spill. The
Coast Guard, meanwhile, is continuing to search for the eleven missing
workers, but there is said to be little hope of finding any survivors.
Over 100 workers survived the explosion. Seventeen people have been
hospitalized, four in critical condition.



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