Gulf oil spill: BP confirms the cap has been replaced on the gushing gulf oil well

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NEW ORLEANS -- Oil had spewed uncontrolled into the Gulf of Mexico for much of the day Wednesday before engineers reattached a cap being used to contain the gusher and direct some of the crude to a surface ship.

The logistics coordinator on board the Discoverer Enterpriser, the ship that has been siphoning the oil, told the Associated Press that after more than 10 hours, the system was again collecting crude. The crew member said the cap was placed back on the gusher around 8 p.m. local time. He asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to provide the information.

BP later confirmed the cap was back in place but said it had been hooked up about an hour and a half earlier.

BP engineers had removed the cap after an underwater robot struck it because fluid seemed to be leaking, creating a possible safety hazard because of the flames above, and they were concerned that ice-like crystals might clog it.

--Associated Press