A U.S. Navy blimp is aiding oil spill clean-up efforts in the Gulf of Mexico this morning, the Sun Herald reported today.
The blimp, named the MZ-3A Airship, will monitor oil, oversee skimming operations and locate oil-covered wildlife. Unlike other aircrafts, the blimp can stay in the air for 12-hour periods and costs less to operate.
In a press statement, BP reported that 44,500 personnel, 6,563 vessels and 113 aircraft are engaged in oil-spill response efforts.
Currently one-third of Gulf Coast waters are closed for fishing. Yesterday, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality reported 20 tarballs and 12 pieces of oil debris on the beaches of Hancock County, as well as oil on Cat Island.
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