Oil spill crews evacuate as storm hits Gulf

Key vessels and drilling will evacuated the site of BP's blown-out oil well in the Gulf of Mexico due to Tropical Storm Bonnie.

Bad weather means the site will be abandoned for about 48 hours, the top US oil spill official said.

"If we have to evacuate the scene we're probably looking at a very limited window -- probably 48 hours," retired US Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen told reporters.

The storm is projected to swirl across the Gulf near the site where crews are working to plug the spill.

BP is currently conducting pressure tests to determine the stability of the capped well, but those tests would be halted by an evacuation.