Drilling rig owned by firm with Aberdeen base sinks off coast of Gabon

A drilling rig owned by a firm with a base in Aberdeen has sunk off the coast of Gabon with 115 people on board.

The Prospector 5 drilling rig, owned and operated by Borr Drilling Limited, with a base in Westhill, confirmed the sinking took place at around 8.37pm on Saturday.

The incident occurred while the rig was conducting jacking operations offshore Gabon in Central Africa, in preparation for a planned drilling campaign.

115 personnel were on board, with five people unaccounted for, and extensive searches are ongoing.

The 110 personnel accounted for are being brought ashore in Gabon, where care and support are being provided, Borr said.

The firm said early information indicates that the rig experienced a “punch-through event during preload activities”, resulting in loss of stability and the subsequent sinking.

The rig was constructed in Shanghai in 2014 and can operate 400 ft underwater.

Borr Drilling says its emergency response team has been activated, and it is working with local authorities and its customer, BW Energy, to respond to the incident, support those affected, and search for missing personnel.

Bruno Morand, CEO of Borr Drilling, said: “We are deeply concerned for those who remain unaccounted for and everyone affected by this incident.

“Our immediate priority is supporting the ongoing search and rescue efforts and the welfare of all personnel involved.”

BW Energy added: “Our overriding priority is the safety of all personnel. The Company is supporting the ongoing search and rescue operations in close coordination with the drilling contractor Borr Drilling, relevant authorities and emergency responders.

“Production at the MaBoMo facility is shut down in accordance with standard procedure during ongoing drilling preparations.

“There has been no reported damage to the facility or related equipment, nor any accidental discharge of harmful substances to the sea from the facility.”

Family members seeking information or assistance can contact the team at +44 (0)1224 087026.

Borr Drilling has been contacted for further comment.