BP CEO Tony Hayward Claims He Was Looking For Oil During Yacht Race!

London, 20 June 2010:  BP CEO Tony Hayward attended the J.P. Morgan Asset Management "Round the Island Yacht Race" off Britain's Isle of Wight on Saturday. This seemingly tone deaf move by the embattled head of BP has set off another round of controversy; just the latest in a growing list of gaffes by Hayward.

Tony Hayward issued a statement today which reads, "I did indeed attend the Round the Island Yacht Race and sailed my yacht named Bob later in the day. I have received extensive criticism for these actions so I'd like to explain the reasons why I attended the event. I was there to survey the area to determine if any oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill had reached the southern tip of England. It is one thing if the Gulf of Mexico is fouled with oil, but would be be a tragedy of epic proportions if even one drop of oil were to reach my beloved England's shores. I am happy to report that I did not see any oil while sailing my yacht on Saturday."

Hayward concluded his statement by justifying the reimbursement of his expenses incurred at the yacht race: "To compensate me for the expenses I incurred for this survey, I have placed my $700,000 yacht into the Vessels of Opportunity program. Those who are not fortunate to own a yacht may not understand that there are crew members who need to be paid, alcohol which needs to be restocked, and catering for the party we held after the race. I don't think it would be fair for these expenses to come directly from my salary considering I sacrificed my weekend to assess the impact of the oil spill on Britain. I hope this clarifies everything and refocuses Gulf Coast residents on getting on with their lives rather than whining about situations where they don't have any of the facts"