Gabon searches for five after offshore rig sinks

Five people remain missing after an oil rig sank off the coast of Gabon, prompting a search and rescue operation involving the country’s navy. The Prospector 5 rig sank on Saturday evening after suffering a structural failure while preparing for offshore drilling, its operator, Borr Drilling, said in a statement on Sunday.

Of the 115 people aboard the rig at the time of the incident, 110 have been accounted for, while efforts to locate the remaining five continue. Gabon’s Oil Minister, Clotaire Kondja, said the rig tilted and sank during pre-loading operations ahead of a planned drilling campaign. He said the search was continuing without interruption, with the navy supporting the operation.

Authorities also said no harmful substance had been detected in the water so far. The affected area remains under surveillance, while pollution-response resources have been deployed to protect the coastline and Mayumba National Park. The rig was supporting drilling operations for BW Energy, a Norwegian oil and gas company with activities in Gabon, Brazil and Namibia.

Borr Drilling said it was in contact with the company following the incident. Borr Drilling’s Chief Executive Officer, Bruno Morand, expressed concern for those still missing and others affected by the sinking. Gabon’s President, Brice Clotaire Oligui, said the safety of workers operating at sea on behalf of the country must be guaranteed, adding that he would enforce the requirement on companies operating in its maritime territory.