Five Missing After Offshore Oil Rig Sinks off Gabon

Five people remained missing on Sunday following the sinking of an offshore oil drilling rig off the coast of Mayumba in southwestern Gabon, according to statements from Borr Drilling and BW Energy. The accident occurred on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at approximately 8:37 p.m. local time on the Dussafu Marin oil license.

The self-elevating drilling unit Prospector 5, which is owned and operated by Borr Drilling, was carrying out preparatory operations for a drilling campaign on behalf of the Norwegian independent oil company BW Energy. According to preliminary information provided by Borr Drilling, a sudden punch-through of a rig leg into the seabed during pre-loading operations caused a loss of stability and led to the vessel's sinking.

Out of the 115 people on board the massive structure at the time of the incident, 110 individuals were rescued safely. However, the fate of the remaining five workers sparked deep concern among authorities, company officials, and families waiting for news.

In response to the tragedy, Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema personally took charge of monitoring the search efforts. Seeking regional cooperation, President Oligui Nguema reached out to Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso to request the deployment of the Congolese Navy to assist in the operations. This collaboration aims to widen the search perimeter into the territorial waters of the Republic of Congo to bolster maritime surveillance and rescue capabilities.

While emergency responders, local marine authorities, and neighboring naval forces actively search for the missing personnel, unofficial rumors on social media regarding the recovery of bodies have not received any official confirmation. Authorities stressed that locating and rescuing the five missing workers remains the absolute priority.

On the environmental and operational fronts, BW Energy reported that production at the nearby MaBoMo site was already shut down in accordance with standard procedures during drilling preparations. The company confirmed that no damage to the production facilities or accidental spills of hazardous substances into the sea had been reported.

Meanwhile, the Gabonese Ministry of Petroleum and Gas announced an investigation to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the disaster. Financial markets have also monitored the situation closely, as shares of Borr Drilling Ltd experienced upward movement during recent trading sessions while analysts evaluate the medium-term impact of losing such a major asset from the company's order book.