Ships prepare to return to spill as storm weakens

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By DAVID DISHNEAU and HARRY R. WEBER

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Some ships prepared to move back to the site of BP's broken oil well Saturday as the remnants of a weakening Tropical Storm Bonnie rolled into the Gulf of Mexico.

The rough weather is still expected to hit the area directly, but the storm - now barely a tropical depression - broke apart as it crossed Florida and moved into the Gulf.

Dozens of vessels evacuated the Gulf Friday ahead of the storm on the orders of Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the federal government's spill chief.

But by Saturday morning, the rig drilling the relief tunnel that will blast mud into the broken well to permanently seal it already was getting ready to head back, BP Spokesman Steve Rinehart said.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100724/D9H5FNK00.html