Updated October 25: BW Energy says production at its MaBoMo facility is shut down under standard procedures during drilling preparations, following the sinking of the Prospector 5 rig off Gabon.

The company’s regulatory statement reports no damage to the facility or related equipment, and no accidental discharge of harmful substances into the sea from the facility. That wording is specific to the facility; it should not be read as an independently verified assessment of the entire incident or the sunken rig.

BW Energy confirmed the earlier count of 115 people aboard, with 110 safely accounted for and five still missing. It said it was supporting search-and-rescue efforts alongside Borr Drilling, authorities and emergency responders.

The incident and continuing search

Five people remained unaccounted for after the Prospector 5 drilling rig sank offshore Gabon, its owner and operator Borr Drilling said in an October 25 statement.

The company said the incident occurred around 8:37 p.m. local time on October 24 while the rig was conducting jacking operations ahead of a planned drilling campaign. Of 115 people aboard, 110 had been safely accounted for.

Borr said extensive search-and-rescue operations were continuing. Its onshore emergency team was working with local authorities and customer BW Energy to respond and support those affected.

The company’s preliminary account points to a “punch through” during preload activities, followed by a loss of stability and the rig’s sinking. That explanation remains preliminary; the statement does not establish a final investigative finding.

Missing personnel have not been reported as confirmed fatalities in the sources reviewed for this report.

Sources: BW Energy’s October 25 regulatory statement; Borr Drilling’s October 25 statement, distributed through Cision and MFN; Reuters, October 25.

Editorial illustration of offshore search lights and a safety lifebuoy. The scene is symbolic.