Looking at the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill 16 years later

GULFPORT, Miss. (WXXV)- Monday marked 16 years since the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history.

The explosion killed 11 workers and sent millions of barrels of oil in the Gulf, impacting communities along the Coast for years.

For 87 days, oil poured into the Gulf, coating shorelines, killing wildlife, and threatening the livelihoods of fishermen and tourism-based businesses

In states like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, beaches closed, marshes were damaged, and communities faced uncertainty.

Sixteen years later, the Gulf Coast has made significant strides in recovery, but many say the oil spill is a reminder of just how fragile the ecosystem can br.

As recovery and research continues, protecting the Gulf remains as important as it was 16 years ago.