Published: - Updated: 2 years ago

Gulf Spill One-Year Anniversary

Vigils were scheduled Wednesday in Gulf Coast states to mark the worst offshore oil spill in the nation's history. On the night of April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon burst into flames after drilling a well for BP PLC, killing 11 workers. Two days later the rig toppled into the Gulf and sank to the sea floor. Over the next 85 days, 206 million gallons of oil spilled spewed from the well. BP spent billions of dollars to clean up the mess, saving itself from collapse. CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO VIEW FULL IMAGE, START SLIDE SHOW.

Enlarge Inland fisherman Brent "Hollywood" Shaver talks on April 19, 2011, about his year of coping with life in Orange Beach,... ASSOCIATED PRESS

A member of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's staff wearing a glove reaches into thick oil on the surface of the northern regions of Barataria Bay in Plaquemines Parish, La., in this June 15, 2010 file photo.

Enlarge A member of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's staff wearing a glove reaches into thick oil on the surface of the ... ASSOCIATED RPESS

Fire boat response crews spray water on the blazing remnants of BP's Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig in this April 21, 2010, file photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Enlarge Fire boat response crews spray water on the blazing remnants of BP's Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig in this April ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Courtney Kemp, widow of Roy Wyatt Kemp, 27, who died in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, holds her daughers Kaylee Kemp, 3, and Madisson Kemp, 9 months, in Jonesville, La., on Nov. 11, 2010.

Enlarge Courtney Kemp, widow of Roy Wyatt Kemp, 27, who died in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, holds her daughers ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Susan Daniel participates in a prayer vigil April 20, 2011, in foggy Orange Beach, Ala., for those who suffered following the Deepwater Horizon incident.

Enlarge Susan Daniel participates in a prayer vigil April 20, 2011, in foggy Orange Beach, Ala., for those who suffered following ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Crab fisherman Thomas Barrios tends to his crab traps April 13, 2011, outside the family restaurant his wife Alicia runs in Golden Meadow, La. The family's income is completely dependent on the bounty of the seafood industry. They had to lay off workers, and are struggling to stay afloat, as his crabbing enterprise has been halted, and the restaurant sales have been less than half since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Enlarge Crab fisherman Thomas Barrios tends to his crab traps April 13, 2011, outside the family restaurant his wife Alicia runs ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

An oil-drenched bird struggles to climb onto a boom from the waters of Barataria Bay, La., which are filled with oil from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, in this June 26, 2010, file photo.

Enlarge An oil-drenched bird struggles to climb onto a boom from the waters of Barataria Bay, La., which are filled ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

An oil-covered bird struggles against the side of the HOS Iron Horse supply vessel at the site of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in this May 9, 2010, file photo.

Enlarge An oil-covered bird struggles against the side of the HOS Iron Horse supply vessel at the site of the ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Oil flows out of the top of the transition spool, which was placed into the gushing wellhead and will house the new containment cap, at the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, in this July 12, 2010, image from video made available by BP PLC.

Enlarge Oil flows out of the top of the transition spool, which was placed into the gushing wellhead and will house ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Oil stretches across the Gulf of Mexico, more than 50 miles southeast of Venice on Louisiana's tip, as a large plume of smoke rises from fires on BP's Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig in this April 21, 2010, file photo.

Enlarge Oil stretches across the Gulf of Mexico, more than 50 miles southeast of Venice on Louisiana's tip, as a large ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Community leaders and environmental groups, including the Sierra Club and the Gulf Restoration Network, hold an early morning candlelight event April 20, 2011, in New Orleans commemorating the one year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Enlarge Community leaders and environmental groups, including the Sierra Club and the Gulf Restoration Network, hold an early morning candlelight event ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Those gathered at a New Orleans commemoration event light candles to remember those who died in the Gulf Coast oil rig blast and to raise awareness of the resulting environmental impact.

Enlarge Those gathered at a New Orleans commemoration event light candles to remember those who died in the Gulf Coast oil ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

An oil spill cleanup worker searches the sand for tar balls in Gulf Shores, Ala., on April 20, 2011. Tar balls continue to wash ashore a year after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Enlarge An oil spill cleanup worker searches the sand for tar balls in Gulf Shores, Ala., on April 20, 2011. Tar ... DAVE MARTIN / AP

Leroy Sebring of Van Buren, Ark., walks with his fishing gear April 20, 2011, while vacationing in Grand Isle, La. Grand Isle is a coastal community centered around fishing and tourism that was heavily impacted by last year's Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Enlarge Leroy Sebring of Van Buren, Ark., walks with his fishing gear April 20, 2011, while vacationing in Grand Isle, La.... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Commercial fisherman Ted Petrie picks through a pile of shrimp on his boat April 20, 2011, in Grand Isle, La. Petrie took a job helping with Deepwater Horizon oil spill response efforts in order to make ends meet when local waters were closed to fishing. A year after the spill began, he wonders about its long term effects on marine life and is apprehensive about his odds for success in future shrimp seasons.

Enlarge Commercial fisherman Ted Petrie picks through a pile of shrimp on his boat April 20, 2011, in Grand Isle, La.... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tourists watch as workers clean oil from the sand along a 700-yard long strip of oil that washed up on the beach in Gulf Shores, Ala., in this June 4, 2010, file photo.

Enlarge Tourists watch as workers clean oil from the sand along a 700-yard long strip of oil that washed up ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Enlarge A cross with the words "promises made," referring to promises made by BP PLC and government officials responding to ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

BP PLC Chief Executive Bob Dudley speaks at a Nov. 2, 2010, news conference at the company's headquarters in London. The oil giant at the center of one of the world's biggest environmental crises made strong profits, with its stock largely rebounding and shareholders being paid dividends.

Enlarge BP PLC Chief Executive Bob Dudley speaks at a Nov. 2, 2010, news conference at the company's headquarters in London.... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nesting pelicans are seen landing as oil washes ashore on an island that is home to hundreds of brown pelican nests as well at terns, gulls and roseate spoonbills in Barataria Bay, just inside the the coast of Lousiana, in this May 22, 2010, file photo.

Enlarge Nesting pelicans are seen landing as oil washes ashore on an island that is home to hundreds of brown pelican ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Paul Plack of Florence, Ky., sits under an umbrella April 12, 2011, on the beach in Pass Christian, Miss. Plack vacationed a year ago on the Mississippi coast despite concerns of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and loved the place so much that he and his family returned again this year.

Enlarge Paul Plack of Florence, Ky., sits under an umbrella April 12, 2011, on the beach in Pass Christian, Miss. Plack ... ASSOCIATED PRESS

Gulf Spill One-Year Anniversary

Poll