The facts
BW Energy said the incident occurred while the rig was being positioned for drilling at the Dussafu licence. [1]
Borr said on 26 October that 110 of the 115 people aboard were safe. Navy chief Charles Hubert Bekale-Meyong later reported three bodies found and searches continuing for two others. [2][5][6]
Remotely operated underwater inspections located the bodies on 28 October. The navy said the images did not establish their identities; AFP reported that teams were preparing recovery. [5][6]
BW Energy said on 25 October that production at its MaBoMo facility was shut down and no harmful discharge from that facility had been reported at that time. [1]
Earlier reporting of one Indian national’s death has not been reconciled with the three located bodies. It cannot be added to them as a separate fourth death. [3][5][6]
Borr's 29 October statement said about 280 cubic metres of marine diesel had been aboard and that environmental-response resources were being mobilised with its customer and the authorities. It did not establish that this quantity had spilled. [7]
The rig owner said on 29 October it had been notified that three bodies were located by remotely operated vehicles, with recovery efforts underway and two people still unaccounted for. [7]
Still unconfirmed
- The bodies’ identities and confirmation of their recovery.
- Whether the previously reported Indian victim is among the three located bodies.
- The investigation’s final determination of the cause and the fate of the two missing people.
- Whether fuel has escaped from the rig, and the extent of any environmental damage.
Corrections & updates
Update: Added the navy’s report that three bodies were located on 28 October and two people remained missing. Reuters corrected its wording from 'recovered' to 'found'; recovery and identification are not established here. The earlier reported Indian death is not counted again as a fourth victim.
Update: Added the rig owner's 29 October confirmation that body-recovery efforts were underway, and its statement on approximately 280 cubic metres of diesel aboard and environmental mitigation. No spill volume or completed recovery is established. The earlier MaBoMo statement concerned that facility on 25 October.
Sources
References support the numbered facts above. Source checks: 29 Oct 2026, 19:56 UTC.
- BW Energy: Drilling rig incident on the Dussafu licence
BW Energy · Primary source · 25 Oct 2026
Operator’s dated account; the environmental statement concerns its facility, not a verified assessment of the whole incident.
- Borr Drilling Limited – Prospector 5 Rig Incident Update
Borr Drilling via Cision · Primary source · 26 Oct 2026
Rig owner’s statement. Its unaccounted-for figure is attributed and is not presented as a reconciled final casualty total.
- Borr Drilling rig sinks off Gabon, one person dead and four missing
Reuters via Internazionale · Reporting · 25 Oct 2026
English Reuters report includes separately attributed union and ministry accounts. Internazionale is the host, not a second reporting source.
- Five people remain missing after drilling rig with 115 on board sinks off Gabon
STV News · Reporting · 28 Oct 2026
Separately owned reporting includes the UK Foreign Office’s confirmation of support to British nationals.
- Gabon rig disaster: three bodies found, two missing
Agence France-Presse via Africanews · Reporting · 29 Oct 2026
AFP report of the navy chief’s televised statement. Africanews is the host; the count shares the navy’s evidence.
- Three bodies found after Prospector 5 sinking
Reuters via Internazionale · Reporting · 29 Oct 2026
Read the corrected English Reuters body, which explicitly changes 'recovered' to 'found'. Reuters and AFP are independently owned agencies reporting the same navy statement.
- Prospector 5 rig incident update, 29 October 2026
Borr Drilling via MFN · Primary source · 29 Oct 2026
Actual rig-owner statement read. Fuel aboard is inventory, not a measured release; recovery efforts are not described as completed.