"This Is Horrific": Oil Drilling Rig Sinks Off Gabon Coast with 115 People, Viewers Mortified

• An offshore oil drilling rig capsized and sank off the coast of Gabon on 24 October 2026 with 115 crew members on board
• Rescue teams accounted for 110 people safely, and authorities disclosed how many were found dead, as others remained missing
• Footage of the rig sinking at night spread rapidly on TikTok, shocking viewers around the world

An offshore oil drilling rig with 115 people on board capsized and sank off the coast of Gabon, Central Africa, on 24 October 2026. One crew member was confirmed dead, and four others remained missing as search and rescue teams worked to locate survivors. Of the 115 people on board, 110 were safely accounted for.

Night-time footage of the illuminated rig tipping into the ocean went viral on TikTok on 28 October 2026. The clip was viewed by millions and sparked alarm worldwide, with many viewers asking why the disaster had not received more mainstream coverage.

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The clip posted by The Sun captured the disaster in detail. The scale of the sinking raised fears about ocean contamination from oil, as well as the danger faced by anyone who had been on board when the structure went down. Watch the footage of the rig sinking off Gabon's coast below:

World horrified by Gabon rig disaster

The search and rescue operation was ongoing at the time the footage was circulating online. The video drew a wave of responses from people around the world:

@Lydie lo said:

"115 souls, 110 accounted for, 1 passed away, 4 still missing"

@Liam wrote:

"Why is this not on global news? This is horrific."

@Goatman commented:

"Most terrifying part is, it doesn't matter if you CAN swim, if you ARE on top... something that large sinking? The currents can drag you down regardless. Horrifying..."

@titan01 shared:

"I am on 'ODIN', a sister rig, we are devastated at the loss"

@Nirue added:

"Shark infested btw."

@silkyprime said:

"It's sinking and they're talking about 'wooo' 😭"

Other Briefly News stories on natural disasters

• Northern Nepal was struck by another destructive wave of monsoon-triggered flash floods, with raging floodwaters tearing through the Gorkha and Nuwakot districts along the swollen Budhi Gandaki River.
• A 36-year-old British mother lost her life off the southern coast of Bimini in the Bahamas during a family holiday after sudden ocean surges swept her two young sons out into deep water during a snorkelling excursion.
• Extreme weather systems, violent thunderstorms, and widespread flash floods across South Africa claimed 18 lives, with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) declaring a national state of disaster spanning six provinces.

Source: Briefly News