Five missing after oil rig sinks off Gabon

Five individuals remain unaccounted for, with extensive search and rescue operations ongoing. 

Rescuers were searching on Sunday for five people missing after an oil rig sank off the coast of Gabon, the operating company said.

The Prospector 5 rig was preparing for a campaign of offshore drilling in the offshore waters of the fossil fuel-rich central African country when it experienced a severe structural failure on Saturday evening, "resulting in loss of stability and the subsequent sinking of the rig", Borr Drilling said.

"At the time of the incident, there were 115 personnel onboard the rig," the Bermuda-headquartered firm said in a statement.

"A total of 110 individuals have been safely accounted for. Five individuals remain unaccounted for, with extensive search and rescue operations ongoing," it added.

The Prospector 5 was supporting the drilling work of BW Energy, a Norwegian firm which describes itself on its website as an "independent oil and gas company with operations and developments in Gabon, Brazil, and Namibia".

Borr Drilling said it was in touch with BW Energy about the incident.

"We are deeply concerned for those who remain unaccounted for and everyone affected by this incident," Borr Drilling Chief Executive Bruno Morand was quoted as saying in the statement.

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