Five people are still missing after a drilling rig owned by a firm with a base in Aberdeenshire sank 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 still unaccounted for as of Wednesday.
Extensive marine and air search and rescue operations remain ongoing.
Borr Drilling says it is in contact with the families of the missing personnel, while the 110 people accounted for are being brought ashore in Gabon.
STV News understands four British nationals are being supported by the Foreign Office and that no British nationals have died.
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 400ft 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.”
An FCDO spokesperson said: “We are providing support to a number of British Nationals in Gabon and remain in contact with the local authorities.”
Family members seeking information or assistance can contact the team in Aberdeenshire at +44 (0)1224 087026.
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