Admiral: Coast Guard beefs up staff, resources in eastern Gulf Coast as oil spill spreads

Coast Guard adds staff to eastern Gulf for spill

COVINGTON, La. — The Coast Guard admiral in charge of the oil spill response says he’s moving more staff and resources to the Gulf Coast as the slick continues to move east toward Florida.

Adm. Thad Allen says a cutter arrived in Mobile Bay, Ala., on Wednesday. He says boats will add a surge of boom to capture oil coming in with the tide. Four other patrol boats are positioned in Alabama waters.

Brown oil patches have been spotted at Dauphin Island, Ala., and off the Pensacola, Fla., coast.

Four helicopters are to be sent to the Alabama, Mississippi and Florida coast to help skimmers spot threatening oil.

Allen also says a cutter is patrolling off Pensacola to help skim oil from the surface.