Florida threatened as size of Gulf Coast oil slick triples while Obama heads out to inspect growing chaos

Workers load oil booms onto a boat as the effort continues to try and contain the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico




Efforts to stem the flow: A Subsea Dispersant Injection System will be deployed by BP to contain oil below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico






An economic and environmental catastrophe loomed closer last night as emergency workers were powerless to halt a giant oil spill bearing down on Florida's coat.

The spill was said to have tripled in size over the past two days and is now threatening the state's beaches.

President Obama flew to the Gulf Coast yesterday for a first-hand update on the growing slick from the sunken BP drilling rig a mile deep in the ocean off Louisiana.

Crews have so far tried stemming the flow from the ruptured well or removing oil from the surface by skimming it, burning it or dispersing it with chemicals, but with little success.

Experts fear a nightmare scenario if the Gulf Stream carries the oil to Florida and into the Atlantic beyond.

Black clumps were already clinging to marsh grass in the biologically rich Louisiana Delta, a breeding ground for crab, oysters, shrimp and other seafood, but environmentalists say the more damaging oil has yet to hit the shore.

The only hope was for a change of wind direction to push the danger away from land. But it is feared the slick could reach south Florida's Atlantic beaches by Wednesday if the oil gets swept into the Gulf's powerful current.

This could also steer it into the Florida Keys and then north up the east coast.

The oil slick could cause huge damage to the tourist industry in Florida, which is the the holiday destination of more than 1.4million Britons each year.


Fishermen listen as a BP company representative outlines a plan to clean up the oil spill which threatens their livelihoods


In peril:  Manatee thrive in the coastal regions that teem with marine life, and brown pelicans are also highly threatened


Birds fly past booms that were placed in preparation of the looming oil spill south of Venice, Louisiana


An oil rig is seen in the background as brown pelicans fly in the Breton Sound of the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana. There are fears about the future of wildlife in the region as a result of the oil spill


Oil: Dr. Erica Miller and Danene Birtell with Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research help a Northern Gannet bird covered in oil


First hand update: U.S. President Barack Obama visits the Gulf of Mexico region to view the damage caused by the sinking of BP's oil and gas Deepwater Horizontal drilling rig


Closing in: The oil slick (the white swirl just off the coastline) nears Louisiana in this Nasa satellite image

 
Hopeless: A helicopter flies over an oil boom ringing the islands of the Mississippi delta on Thursday

'This is one thing that could hurt more than a recession, more than four hurricanes coming into Florida in one season.

This could have lingering, disastrous implications,' said Nicki Grossman, a local tourism spokesman.

Speaking on television yesterday, BP chairman Lamar McKay defended the company's safety record.