Five people are missing after the jack-up drilling rig Prospector 5 sank off the coast of Gabon while preparing for a drilling campaign, its operator Borr Drilling has confirmed. Of the 115 people on board, 110 have been safely accounted for, and an extensive search and rescue operation is under way for the five who remain unaccounted for.
The incident happened at 8:37 p.m. local time on Saturday, October 24, at the Dussafu Marine licence offshore Gabon, as the rig was jacking up in preparation for a planned drilling programme for BW Energy. Borr Drilling and BW Energy confirmed the sinking in statements on Sunday, October 25.
FAKTA: Gabon rig sinking
- Rig: Prospector 5, a jack-up drilling rig owned and operated by Borr Drilling
- Location: Dussafu Marine licence, offshore Gabon
- When: 8:37 p.m. local time (7:37 p.m. GMT) on Saturday, October 24, 2026
- People on board: 115, of whom 110 are safely accounted for and five remain missing
- Preliminary cause: a punch-through event during preload activities, causing a loss of stability
- Search: extensive search and rescue operations ongoing, with local authorities and emergency responders
- Nearby facility: production at BW Energy’s MaBoMo facility shut down as a precaution; no damage or harmful discharge reported there
What happened to Prospector 5
According to Borr Drilling, preliminary information indicates that the rig experienced a punch-through event during preload activities while jacking up, resulting in a loss of stability and the subsequent sinking of the rig. The company stressed that the information is preliminary.
Prospector 5 was preparing for a drilling campaign in support of BW Energy’s drilling operations offshore Gabon. BW Energy confirmed that the incident took place during jacking operations in preparation for a planned drilling campaign on the Dussafu Marine licence.
Search under way for five missing workers
Borr Drilling said its onshore emergency response team has been activated and that it is working with local authorities and BW Energy to respond to the incident, support those affected, and search for the missing personnel.
BW Energy said it is supporting the ongoing search and rescue operations in close coordination with Borr Drilling, the relevant authorities and emergency responders. Neither company has disclosed the identities or nationalities of the five missing workers, and no fatalities have been reported.
What the companies said
“We are deeply concerned for those who remain unaccounted for and everyone affected by this incident,” Borr Drilling chief executive Bruno Morand said. “Our immediate priority is supporting the ongoing search and rescue efforts and the welfare of all personnel involved.”
BW Energy said the safety of all personnel is its overriding priority. The company added that production at its MaBoMo facility has been shut down in accordance with standard procedure during ongoing drilling preparations, and that 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.
What is not yet known
The cause of the stability failure remains under preliminary assessment, and the companies have not said when the search operation is expected to conclude or what will happen to the planned drilling campaign. Further updates are expected as the search continues and the companies release more information.
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