Five Missing after Oil Rig Sinks off Gabon

Five people are missing after an oil rig sank off the coast of Gabon, with rescue teams searching for the workers, the rig’s operator said on Sunday.

The Prospector 5 rig was preparing for an offshore drilling campaign when it suffered a major structural failure on Saturday evening, causing it to lose stability and sink, Borr Drilling said.

The Bermuda-based company said 115 people were aboard the rig when the incident occurred, with 110 safely accounted for and five still missing.

Borr Drilling said extensive search-and-rescue operations were ongoing to locate the missing workers.

“At the time of the incident, there were 115 personnel onboard the rig,” the Bermuda-headquartered firm said in a statement.

“A total of 110 individuals have been safely accounted for. Five individuals remain unaccounted for, with extensive search and rescue operations ongoing,” it added.

The Prospector 5 was supporting drilling operations by BW Energy, a Norwegian oil and gas company with operations and developments in Gabon, Brazil and Namibia.

Borr Drilling said it was coordinating with BW Energy over the incident and expressed concern for those still unaccounted for.

The company said its immediate focus was supporting the search and rescue operation and ensuring the welfare of all personnel affected by the incident.

“We are deeply concerned for those who remain unaccounted for and everyone affected by this incident,” Borr Drilling Chief Executive Bruno Morand was quoted as saying in the statement.

“Our immediate priority is supporting the ongoing search and rescue efforts and the welfare of all personnel involved.”