One person is missing and another six have been injured after the Perro Negro 6 jackup rig sank off the coast of Angola last night.
The Saipem-owned rig, which was being operated by Chevron, tilted and took on water after the seabed collapsed under one of the three legs.
Saipem confirmed one of the 103 crew members on the rig was reported missing after the rig was evacuated, with a further six suffering minor injuries.
“The Saipem emergency response team is mobilised and is working closely with the Angolan Authorities and the Client’s operational team,” the company said in a statement.
“At this moment, no environmental impacts have been reported, and all the prevention measures are being implemented.”
The incident occured as the rig was being positioned ahead of drilling operations between the coasts of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo, close to the mouth of the Congo River.
Following the evacuation, the rig capsized and sank.
The jack-up rig was built in 2009 at the Labroy Shipyard in Indonesia, and designed with a crew of around 100.
Saipem were awarded a three-year contract for offshore drilling off Angola by Chevron, starting in the second quarter of 2012, using the Perro Negro 6 rig.