Gabon oil rig Prospector 5 sinks, leaving one dead and four missing

The Prospector 5 oil drilling rig sank off the coast of Mayumba in southwestern Gabon on Saturday night during pre-loading operations. The incident occurred at approximately 20:37 while the jack-up rig was undergoing preparatory work for scheduled drilling.

Of the 115 workers on board, 110 were successfully rescued and are reported safe. Authorities have confirmed one fatality and four individuals remain missing. Search and rescue operations, involving the Gabonese Navy, are ongoing to locate the missing crew members.

Borr Drilling, the owner and operator of the rig, reported that a structural collapse led to a rapid loss of stability and subsequent sinking in the Atlantic Ocean. The Gabon Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched a technical investigation to determine the exact cause of the failure. While production has been halted, no leaks or environmental damage have been reported at this time.