Borr Drilling Rig Sinks Off Gabon, One Dead, Four Missing

Borr Drilling's Prospector 5 rig sank late on Saturday off the coast of Mayumba, Gabon, killing one worker and leaving four others missing among the 115 people on board, officials and the company said on Sunday. An Indian national among the five initially unaccounted for has been found dead, according to Sylvain Mayabi Binet, secretary general of the National Organization of Petroleum Employees. The remaining four missing are three Gabonese nationals and one other expatriate. Borr Drilling said preliminary information indicates the rig experienced a punch-through event during preload activities, causing a loss of stability that led to the sinking. The accident occurred at approximately 9:40 p.m. (2040 GMT) on Saturday in the Dussafu Marin permit area, near the Mabomont production facility. The rig, contracted to support BW Energy's drilling operations off Gabon, had not yet begun drilling. BW Energy holds a 73.5% working interest in the Dussafu Marin licence, with Panoro Energy holding 17.5%. Gabon's Ministry of Petroleum and Gas said it activated a crisis unit involving the ministry, the navy, state oil company Gabon Oil, BW Energy and Borr Drilling, and ordered the navy to reinforce search and rescue operations. Petroleum and Gas Minister Clotaire Kondja also ordered a technical investigation into the incident. Panoro Energy said production had been halted, with no reports of damage or accidental discharges. The ministry said no discharge of harmful substances had been observed, though pollution-response resources remained deployed to protect the coastline and nearby Mayumba National Park. Borr Drilling Chief Executive Bruno Morand said the company's immediate priority was supporting search and rescue efforts and the welfare of personnel.