26 Mar Five dead and one missing in Perenco blaze

Five individuals have lost their lives and one person is still missing following a fire that broke out on an offshore platform run by the French oil and gas company Perenco in Gabon.

The fire started on Wednesday 20th March at around 3:25 pm local time on the Becuna platform at the Simba field. According to initial reports, two people were injured and five were missing.

The injured parties have been evacuated to the shore and the area was secured to tackle the fire. All of the uninjured personnel on the platform were moved to a safe location.

Perenco has activated its emergency response procedure and is working closely with the emergency services and relevant authorities. The company reported this morning that the fire has been extinguished and the site has been safely secured.

However, the company confirmed that unfortunately, at least five people have died. The company expressed its condolences to the families of the deceased and stated that they are focused on supporting them during this difficult time.

Emergency teams are continuing their search for the missing person.