US | Gulf oil spill BP Resumes Effort to Plug Leak After another unannounced suspension By John Johnson Posted May 28, 2010 6:12 PM CDT Copied Ships hold positions over the "top kill" operation in the Gulf of Mexico. (AP Photo/U.S. Coast Guard, Petty Officer 3rd Class Patrick Kelley.) BP resumed its "top kill" operation late this afternoon after the second straight day of an unannounced suspension and mixed messages. They continue to say they will need 24 to 48 hours for a final verdict. Energy Secretary Steven Chu tells the Washington Post there's "some evidence" that the first so-called junk shots made progress. Chu said officials were cautiously optimistic that "some of the junk took." BP shut down the operation overnight after failing to stop the oil flow, reports the New York Times. But that information didn't become public until this afternoon, despite another day of positive assessments on the morning talk shows. Says a spokesman: "The operation is by definition a series of phases of pumping mud and shooting bridging materials and junk and reading pressure gauges. It is going to keep going, perhaps 48 more hours.” Read These Next Trumps ends trade talks with Canada. The Bezos-Sanchez wedding: guest list, cost, the dress, and more. Actor Sam Rockwell gets residuals from movie he wasn't in. Gavin Newsom has filed a massive lawsuit against Fox News. Report an error