Five people remain missing after the Prospector 5 drilling rig sank off Gabon during preparations for a drilling campaign, its owner Borr Drilling said on Sunday, 25 October.
The incident occurred at approximately 20:37 local time on Saturday, 24 October. Of the 115 people aboard, 110 have been safely accounted for, the company said. Search and rescue operations were continuing.
BW Energy confirmed that the rig lost stability during jacking operations on the Dussafu Marine licence and subsequently sank. The rig is owned and operated by Borr Drilling and was contracted to support BW Energy’s operations.
Borr said preliminary information pointed to a “punch through” event during preload activities. That account remains preliminary and does not establish a final investigation finding.
BW Energy said production at the MaBoMo facility was shut down under standard procedures during drilling preparations. It reported no damage to that facility or its related equipment and no accidental discharge of harmful substances from the facility into the sea.
The five missing people have not been confirmed dead. The companies’ announcements did not establish their identities or provide a final explanation for the rig’s loss of stability.
