An offshore drilling rig sank off the coast of Mayumba, Gabon, on October 24, 2026, leaving one worker reportedly dead and four others missing. The jack-up drilling rig *Prospector 5*, owned and operated by Borr Drilling, was preparing for drilling operations in the Dussafu Marin permit area when the incident occurred. According to the company, 115 personnel were on board, of whom 110 were safely accounted for.

Sylvain Mayabi Binet, secretary-general of Gabon's National Organization of Petroleum Employees, reported that an Indian national, initially among the five missing workers, had been found dead. The remaining four missing personnel reportedly included three Gabonese nationals and another foreign worker. However, Gabonese authorities had not officially confirmed the fatality and continued to report five people missing as search operations continued.

Borr Drilling stated that preliminary information indicated a punch-through event during preloading operations, causing the rig to lose stability and sink. Such an event occurs when a jack-up rig\'s supporting leg unexpectedly penetrates the seabed. The rig was contracted to support BW Energy\'s offshore drilling activities but had not yet started its planned drilling campaign. The exact circumstances remain under investigation.

Gabon’s Ministry of Petroleum and Gas activated a crisis response unit and directed the national navy to strengthen search and rescue operations. Authorities also ordered a technical investigation to determine the circumstances of the accident. Meanwhile, production at the nearby MaBoMo facility was suspended, with no reported damage to the installation or accidental discharge of harmful substances into the sea. Environmental monitoring and search operations remained ongoing.