Borr Drilling rig sinks off Gabon, killing one and leaving four missing
Borr Drilling’s Prospector 5 rig collapsed and sank off Gabon, leaving one person dead and four missing from the 115 people on board. The incident has prompted a search and rescue operation and a technical investigation into the structural failure.
The rig was preparing to begin offshore drilling in the Dussafu Marin permit area when it suffered a “punch-through” during preload activities, according to Borr Drilling. Gabon’s navy, helicopters and underwater equipment are assisting the search; authorities say no harmful substances have been observed and pollution-response resources are monitoring the area.
In short
- One person died and four are missing after the rig sank.
- The rig had 115 people on board.
- Gabon has launched rescue and investigation operations.
Explained simply
Borr Drilling is an international company that operates offshore drilling rigs for oil and gas projects. Prospector 5 was a mobile rig designed to work at sea, and it was preparing to drill in the Dussafu Marin permit area off Gabon.
Before drilling, crews preload a rig’s supports by applying weight to check how the seabed will hold them. A “punch-through” is a sudden drop when the ground beneath a support gives way; the cause and circumstances of the structural failure are being investigated.
The incident concerns the safety of offshore workers and the risks involved in preparing large rigs on the seabed. It also matters to Gabon’s offshore energy operations and to monitoring the surrounding waters for pollution.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Oil rig collapses and sinks off Gabon with 115 people on board”.