Obama heartened by indications oil spill is contained, saying crisis is ‘coming to an end’

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Obama applauds breakthrough on Gulf oil spill

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is applauding headway that has been made to stop the nation’s worst oil spill, saying the Gulf of Mexico operation is “finally close to coming to an end.”

He said people’s lives “have been turned upside down” as a result of the April 20 BP oil spill, but said he was heartened by indications the spill is, at last, being brought under control.

BP PLC earlier Wednesday reached what it called a significant milestone when mud that was forced down the well held back the flow of crude. That means the procedure known as a “static kill” appears to be working, though crews now must decide whether to follow up by pumping cement down the broken wellhead.