Helicopters airlift sandbags to drop on La. coastline in attempt to protect marshes from oil

Helicopters to drop sandbags for oil protection

PORT FOURCHON, La. — A sandbag airlift is under way in Louisiana.

Blackhawk helicopters are picking up sandbags to fly them to be dropped on five points east of Port Fourchon. The project is aimed at protecting Lafourche Parish marshes from the massive oil slick.

The spill began creeping farther west of the Mississippi River last week.

Workers in a waterfront yard on Sunday packed sand into bags.

About a dozen Louisiana National Guard soldiers put straps on one-ton sandbags to ready them for pickup.

About 300 sandbags are expected to be used as a makeshift boom to protect the coast.