Oil Rig Sinks at Sea, Killing One Worker and Leaving Four Missing

Borr Drilling’s Prospector 5 oil and gas rig sank off Mayumba, Gabon, on Saturday night, killing one worker and leaving four others missing among the 115 people aboard. The incident took place offshore in Gabonese waters.

Reuters reported on Monday (26 October 2026) that an Indian national who had initially been reported missing was found dead. The four people still unaccounted for are three Gabonese nationals and another foreign worker. The Gabonese government had not confirmed the reported death and said five people were still missing.

Borr Drilling said preliminary information indicated that the incident occurred while the rig was undergoing preloading, a process intended to check the structure’s stability before operations begin. A punch-through caused the rig to lose stability and eventually sink. Prospector 5 had not yet started drilling.

The oil rig was seen listing, with several of its lights out, before breaking apart and collapsing into the open sea. Following the incident, Gabon’s Ministry of Petroleum and Gas activated its crisis unit and deployed the navy to reinforce search-and-rescue efforts.

Petroleum and Gas Minister Clotaire Kondja also ordered a technical investigation to establish the cause of the accident. It occurred at about 9.40pm local time in the Dussafu Marin licence area, near the Mabomont production facility. Borr Drilling chief executive Bruno Morand expressed concern for the victims and those still missing. The company said its priority was to support search-and-rescue operations and ensure the wellbeing of all affected personnel.

Panoro Energy said production had been temporarily suspended. At the time of the report, there were no reports of damage or hazardous substance releases into the environment. The relevant ministry also said there was no indication of pollution, while pollution-response resources remained on standby to protect the coastline and Mayumba National Park.