Oil rig sinks off Gabon — 5 of 115 aboard missing as search continues
Editorial illustration — Press Pass USAThe jack-up drilling rig Prospector 5 sank off the coast of Gabon on Saturday evening, its operator Borr Drilling said Sunday. Of the 115 people aboard, 110 have been safely accounted for and five remain missing, with extensive search-and-rescue operations ongoing.
The incident happened at 8:37 p.m. local time on Saturday, October 24, on the Dussafu Marine licence, while the rig was carrying out jacking operations ahead of a planned drilling campaign, according to BW Energy, the licence operator. Preliminary information indicates the rig experienced a “punch through” event during preload activities, lost stability and then sank, Borr Drilling said.
“We are deeply concerned for those who remain unaccounted for and everyone affected by this incident,” Borr Drilling chief executive Bruno Morand said in a statement. “Our immediate priority is supporting the ongoing search and rescue efforts and the welfare of all personnel involved.”
BW Energy said production at its nearby MaBoMo facility was shut down as a standard precaution, and that there has been no reported damage to the facility or related equipment, and no accidental discharge of harmful substances into the sea from the facility. The cause of the stability failure has not yet been disclosed beyond the preliminary account.
The Prospector 5, owned and operated by Borr Drilling, was contracted to support BW Energy's drilling operations offshore Gabon. This is a developing story; details may change as search-and-rescue updates are released.
Sources: BW Energy regulatory announcement (Oct 25, 2026); Reuters (Oct 25, 2026); Borr Drilling statement via Reuters (Oct 25, 2026).
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