Drilling contractor Borr Drilling has confirmed that the sinking of its jack-up rig “Prospector 5” has resulted in three deaths, with two individuals still reported missing; search and rescue operations are currently underway.
According to the latest incident update from Borr Drilling, the “Prospector 5” experienced a punch-through—a failure of the seabed beneath its legs—on October 24, 2026, at 20:37 local time. This occurred while the rig was conducting pre-loading operations offshore Gabon, causing the platform to rapidly lose stability and sink.
At the time of the incident, there were 115 personnel on board the jack-up drilling rig; 110 of them have since returned safely to shore.
Borr Drilling stated that a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) has located the bodies of three victims, and recovery operations are currently underway. Search and rescue teams continue to look for the two remaining missing individuals.
According to previous reports, at the time of the incident, the “Prospector 5” was deployed on a drilling project for BW Energy in the Dussafu block, offshore Gabon. The rig was carrying approximately 280 cubic meters of marine diesel. BW Energy stated that the production facility itself and its associated pipeline infrastructure remained undamaged, and no pollutants have been observed leaking into the sea.
The “Prospector 5” is an F&G JU-2000E class jack-up rig, built in 2014. It is designed for a maximum operating water depth of 400 feet and a maximum drilling depth of 35,000 feet; it is a mature, widely used, and common model in the offshore drilling market. The rig began operations for BW Energy in early July, with a contract running until July 2027 and an option for extension.