SCHRIEVER, La. (WTAQ) - Underwater robots have freed a saw being used to cut through a leaking oil pipe 5,000 feet below the Gulf of Mexico.
The saw began cutting through the pipe earlier today, but it got stuck. That temporarily halted efforts to contain a massive oil leak spewing thousands of barrels of crude into the gulf every day.
Once the cut is finished, BP will place either a containment cap or "top hat" over the leaking pipe. The containment cap would provide a better seal, but is dependent on the quality of the cut.
Without a clean cut, BP will have to use what's known as a "top hat" containment dome, which could potentially allow more oil to escape into the gulf.
Meanwhile, the expanding spill has made contact in Mississippi and Alabama. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen says crews have been deployed to those areas with booms and skimmers. Tar balls have also reportedly washed ashore in Alabama.
There are also predictions that the oil spill will reach the coast of the Florida panhandle within days.
