By Antonio Scancariello

 

LIBREVILLE, GABON, 28 Oct. - (ANA) - A massive oil rig sank into the ocean with 115 people on board, sparking a massive search and rescue operation. Borr Drilling's Prospector 5 sank off the coast of Gabon on Saturday night. 110 people on board have been safely accounted for, while five people are reportedly missing. In a statement, Borr Drilling, owner and operator of the rig contracted to BW Energy, said: "Of the 115 personnel on board, 110 are safe and accounted for.

 

"Search and rescue operations are ongoing for the five individuals who remain unaccounted for. The Company is in contact with the families of the missing personnel. The 110 personnel accounted for are being brought ashore in Gabon, where care and support are being provided.

 

"Borr Drilling's onshore emergency response team continues to work with local authorities and our customer to respond to the incident, support those affected and continue to search for missing personnel. Extensive marine and air search and rescue operations remain ongoing.

 

"The company is working with its partners and authorities to ensure a robust investigation is carried out into the cause of the incident; however, the immediate and overriding priority remains the ongoing search and rescue efforts and doing everything possible to assist the authorities and specialists leading these operations to locate the missing individuals and support those safely accounted for."

 

The incident occurred in the Dussafu Marin licence area near the MaBoMo (also referred to as Mabomont) production facility. According to initial information from Borr Drilling, the Prospector 5 rig experienced a punch-through event, in which one of its legs unexpectedly penetrated the seabed during preload activities.

 

BW Energy confirmed the incident, and a statement on its website read: "BW Energy confirms that an incident occurred on the Dussafu Marine licence in Gabon at 20:37 local time on Saturday, 24 October 2026, involving the jack-up drilling rig Prospector 5, owned and operated by Borr Drilling.

 

"During jacking operations in preparation for a planned drilling campaign, the rig experienced a loss of stability and subsequently sank."

 

The statement also said that production at the MaBoMo facility is shut down in accordance with standard procedure during ongoing drilling preparations.

 

"There has been no reported damage to the facility or related equipment, nor any accidental discharge of harmful substances to the sea from the facility," it also added.  - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/28 October 2026 - - -