Five crew members remain unaccounted for after Borr Drilling's Prospector 5 jack-up drilling rig sank off the coast of Gabon on Saturday night, with 110 of the 115 personnel aboard confirmed safe.
The incident occurred in the Dussafu Marin licence area, near the MaBoMo (also known as Mabomont) production facility. Search and rescue operations are ongoing for the missing individuals.
Company Confirms Casualties and Rescue Efforts
In an official statement, Borr Drilling, which owns and operates the rig under contract to BW Energy, confirmed: "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 added that it is in contact with the families of the missing personnel, and that the 110 accounted-for crew members 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 the customer to respond to the incident.
Cause of the Sinking
Based on preliminary reports from Borr Drilling, the Prospector 5 rig suffered a punch-through event, where one of its legs unexpectedly penetrated the seabed during preload activities.
BW Energy acknowledged the incident, with a statement on its website declaring: "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."
Operations Halted and Investigation Planned
Operations at the MaBoMo facility have been halted in line with standard protocol during active drilling preparations. The company stated: "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."
Borr Drilling said it is working with its partners and authorities to ensure a robust investigation is carried out into the cause of the incident, while the immediate priority remains the ongoing search and rescue efforts to locate the missing individuals.
