Boat captains say BP telling them to clear out of Gulf as tropical storm system threatens

Captains say BP telling them to clear out of Gulf

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Boat captains say BP is telling them to clear out of the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm system threatens the area.

Tom Ard, the president of the Orange Beach Fishing Association, says captains who showed up at docks to skim for oil Wednesday were sent home and told they wouldn’t be going back out for five or six days because of weather.

Forecasters say a tropical weather system likely will move into the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. It has a 50 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression or storm within the next 48 hours.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — BP has temporarily corked a relief tunnel deep beneath the sea floor as tropical rainstorms move toward the Gulf of Mexico.

The tunnel will be used to blast mud and cement into BP’s leaky well, hopefully sealing it off for good.

But the threat of a tropical storm has prompted the oil giant to shut off the tunnel to keep it from being damaged.

BP vice president Kent Wells says the relief well was plugged Wednesday morning and drilling was halted.

Once the storm threat passes, they’ll remove the plug and resume work.

Forecasters say a tropical weather system likely will move into the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. It has a 50 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression or storm within the next 48 hours.