Univ. of Miami scientists say images indicate an increase in oil spilling out of well

Satellite images shows spill tripling in size

WASHINGTON — The oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico has grown tremendously in just a day or so.

Satellite images analyzed by the University of Miami show the spill has expanded from the size of Rhode Island to something closer to the size of Puerto Rico, close to tripling.

Hans Graber, executive director of the university’s Center for Southeastern Tropical Advanced Remote Sensing, said Saturday that the spill is moving faster and expanding much quicker than estimated.

Graber says the size of the slick was about 1,150 square miles on Thursday. By the end of Friday, he says it had tripled to about 3,850 square miles.

Graber says estimates of only 1,000 barrels spilling a day seem to be more public relations than anything accurate.