Awwal 17, 1432 H/ April 21, 2011, SPA -- BP marked the first anniversary of the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill by filing lawsuits claiming its business partners caused the disaster, as Gulf residents held somber vigils and relatives flew over the waters where 11 oil rig workers died, AP reported. A year after the rig explosion that triggered the worst offshore oil spill in American history, President Barack Obama vowed to hold BP and others accountable for «the painful losses that they've caused.» For its part, BP filed lawsuits alleging negligence by the rig owner, Transocean, and the maker of the device that failed to stop the spill, Cameron International. It also sought at least $40 billion in damages from Transocean. Both of those companies filed their own claims, a reminder that lengthy court battles lie ahead. The disaster began on the night of April 20, 2010, when the Deepwater Horizon rig burst into flames and killed the 11 men. The rest of the crew evacuated, but 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 _ 19 times more than the Exxon Valdez spilled _ spewed from the well. -- SPA
