Efforts to halt the Gulf of Mexico oil spill have been hindered by an underwater accident at the site of the leak.
BP has been forced to remove a containment cap after an underwater robot bumped into the system that channels leaking oil to a ship on the surface.
The cap is being examined and was expected was expected to be working again later on Wednesday, the BBC reports.
Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen said the flow of oil from the well was not completely unchecked as some was still being burned off on the surface.
In a separate development, Adminral Allan said two workers involved in the clean-up operation had, one in what appeared to have been a swimming pool-related accident and the second in an apparent suicide.
BP chief executive Tony Hayward has handed over the management of the spill to another senior executive, Bob Dudley.
The spill was caused by an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon on 20 April, which killed 11 workers.
