Of the 115 workers on board, 110 reached shore and received care in Port-Gentil and elsewhere in Gabon. An underwater robot found three bodies inside the wreck, and rescuers later recovered a fourth. The fifth worker has not been found but has been confirmed dead.
From precarious to permanent contracts
Three of the workers who died had played a leading role in the campaign for permanent contracts run by the Organisation Nationale des Employés du Pétrole (ONEP), an IndustriALL affiliate. They had previously been on precarious contracts through service providers and moved onto permanent contracts with Borr Drilling in March 2024 under Gabon’s labour laws.
“Their contribution to that struggle remains a source of inspiration,” said Sylvain Mayabi Binet, ONEP secretary general.
What the unions are demanding
“Safety at work is not an option. It is a fundamental right and a collective responsibility,”
wrote ONEP.
ONEP and IndustriALL are demanding:
- oil sector unions on the crisis management team, in line with ILO tripartism
- an independent technical inquiry with its findings made public
- medical and psychological care for survivors and long-term support for bereaved families
- a review of safety, risk prevention and monitoring at all oil installations, offshore and onshore, with union involvement.
Investigation under way
Gabonese authorities have set up a crisis unit and opened a technical and judicial investigation. The investigation should also examine the emergency response, including the evacuation. Borr Drilling has appointed an independent investigator and says it is cooperating with the authorities.
“Our thoughts are with the families and colleagues of the five workers who died, and with every survivor. Their families deserve answers. That means a fully independent inquiry, with unions at the table, and real accountability for what went wrong,”
said Atle Hoie, IndustriALL general secretary.