Deep in Oil
A brief history of the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico and what species are at risk.
Produced by Michele Wilson

Photo by U.S. Coast Guard

Click on the image above for a slideshow.

A nightmare began on April 20, 2010 when an explosion rocked the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, located 40 miles off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 workers. Two days later the rig sank, and ever since oil and natural gas have been leaking from the broken well 5,000 feet below the surface. It’s the worst oil spill in U.S. history and an environmental, economic, and cultural disaster. Above is a brief history of the spill and a look at some of the animal species it threatens.