Welsh explorer Ash Dykes and his expedition team faced an unsettling communication gap while navigating one of the world’s most remote rainforest regions, raising concerns among their support crew as updates from the Congo Basin stopped arriving. The interruption came during Dykes’ ambitious Project 6 challenge, which involves travelling through extreme environments over the course of a year.
The situation developed on October 21, 2026, as Dykes and his companions continued down the Sangha River in an inflatable kayak. With the expedition operating far from reliable communications infrastructure, the prolonged silence left the support team waiting for news from the river journey.
Ash Dykes Expedition Update: What Happened During the 16-Hour Communication Gap?
Concern grew after Dykes’ support team revealed that it had been more than 16 hours since anyone had heard from the explorer and his companions.
The team shared its concern in an update, stating:
“It’s been more than 16 hours since we last heard from Ash and the team which is concerning.”
The message drew attention to the difficulty of maintaining contact with an expedition travelling through a remote stretch of the Congo Basin. However, the statement did not establish that Dykes had suffered an injury, become lost or been involved in an accident.
At that stage, the confirmed problem was the extended loss of communication between the expedition and its support team. There was no verified evidence that the explorer had disappeared because of an incident on the river.
About four hours after the initial warning, a new message brought an important update.
The support team confirmed that it had received communication from Dykes through the expedition’s satellite phone/Garmin system. Its subsequent announcement was brief but reassuring:
“EVERYONE IS SAFE!”
The message confirmed the team’s safety after the worrying period without contact. It also helped clarify what had happened during the interruption, shifting the focus from uncertainty about the crew’s whereabouts to the technical difficulties affecting its communications.
Earlier Ash Dykes Expedition Coverage
This update follows the same Congo Basin journey that readers may have encountered when Dykes first began documenting his Sangha River mission. For the earlier background and route details, see our Ash Dykes Congo Basin expedition coverage.
Why Ash Dykes Lost Contact With His Support Team
The communication blackout was linked to problems with the equipment the expedition had been using to stay connected.
According to the team’s explanation, its Starlink connection was unavailable and its power bank had died. Without those resources, the crew could no longer send the usual videos and longer updates to its support team.
Instead, the expedition members could transmit only short messages when the Garmin system obtained a signal.
The incident highlighted the practical limitations of maintaining regular communication while travelling through a remote rainforest. Even with satellite communication equipment available, the crew’s ability to share updates depended on functioning equipment, available power and a usable signal.
The team was ultimately able to send a brief message through the Garmin/satellite-phone system, confirming that everyone was safe.
Importantly, the October 21 interruption has not been reported as an accident requiring a search-and-rescue operation. Nor has it been identified as the cancellation or suspension of the expedition.
The available information instead points to a temporary communications equipment problem during an ongoing journey.
Ash Dykes’ Project 6 Expedition: The 700km Sangha River Challenge
The communication disruption occurred during the first mission of Dykes’ year-long Project 6 expedition series.
According to his official website, Project 6 involves six expeditions across six extreme environments over a 12-month period. The Congo Basin journey is the first mission, with the remaining five expedition locations not yet publicly disclosed.
Dykes and his team are undertaking a planned journey of more than 700 kilometres along the Sangha River, equivalent to approximately 434 miles.
The route runs from Nola in the Central African Republic to Mossaka in the Republic of the Congo. Dykes is travelling in an inflatable kayak alongside a local guide and a videographer.
The mission combines long-distance river travel with the logistical challenges of moving equipment through remote rainforest terrain. The crew must also manage changing river conditions, find suitable places to camp and maintain access to essential supplies.
How far has Ash Dykes travelled along the Sangha River?
Before the communication blackout, the expedition had already made substantial progress.
An expedition update reported that the team had reached the halfway point after covering approximately 400 kilometres. Dykes’ own update also indicated that around another 400 kilometres remained.
The crew had been covering roughly 60 to 80 kilometres on some days. On one particularly demanding day, the team travelled approximately 83 kilometres while heading towards Ouesso.
Those distances reflect the physical demands of the journey, particularly when the team must balance long paddling sessions with the practical need to find somewhere suitable to stop.
The expedition has also encountered difficulties locating places to camp because the river was running high and dense jungle covered much of the riverbank. The crew eventually found a suitable clearing and established camp.
The latest available information places the team well beyond the starting point at Nola. However, its exact current location has not been independently established through a public live GPS tracker. Previously reported waypoints and earlier arrivals should therefore not be treated as confirmation of where the crew is now.
Key Details About the Ash Dykes Congo Basin Expedition
| Detail | Confirmed information |
| Explorer | Ash Dykes, a Welsh explorer and extreme athlete |
| Communication incident | October 21, 2026 |
| Duration without contact | More than 16 hours |
| Safety update | The team confirmed that everyone was safe |
| Main communication problems | Starlink unavailable and power bank depleted |
| Expedition project | Project 6 |
| Planned journey | More than 700 kilometres, approximately 434 miles |
| Starting point | Nola, Central African Republic |
| Destination | Mossaka, Republic of the Congo |
| Transport | Inflatable kayak |
| Reported progress before the blackout | Approximately 400 kilometres covered |
| Remaining missions | Five, with their locations not publicly disclosed |
Water, Equipment and Camping Problems Add to the Expedition’s Challenges
The loss of communication was only one of several practical difficulties the team has faced during its Congo Basin mission.
During the journey, Dykes and his companions reported problems with their water-filtration systems. At one point, the crew was left without a reliable source of filtered drinking water, adding another complication to an expedition already involving long days on the river.
Equipment management has also required careful planning. The team has had to pack supplies into inflatable kayaks, carry equipment in dry bags and repeatedly set up and dismantle its camp.
These tasks become more challenging when the river is high and dense rainforest limits the number of suitable places to stop for the night. The crew’s eventual discovery of a suitable clearing allowed it to establish camp despite those conditions.
Missing luggage delayed the start of the Sangha River journey
The expedition encountered logistical problems even before the river journey began.
After arriving in Cameroon, Dykes discovered that a piece of luggage containing important expedition equipment was missing. The bag included pumps required for the inflatable kayaks, along with other supplies such as tent equipment, food and water.
The luggage was eventually recovered, but the delay affected the team’s schedule.
The crew subsequently faced visa and entry problems while travelling from Cameroon towards the Central African Republic.
Dykes explained that the paperwork available to the team was intended for air travel into Bangui and could not be used for the overland route they were attempting. The group had to find an alternative way to enter the Central African Republic before eventually reaching Nola, the planned starting point.
Although the problems delayed the expedition, they did not prevent Dykes and his companions from reaching Nola and beginning the planned journey down the Sangha River.
Wildlife Encounters in the Congo Basin: Hippos, Elephants and a Bee Swarm
The rainforest environment has presented challenges beyond equipment, water supplies and communications.
During the expedition, Dykes and his companions reported encountering hippos, elephants and other wildlife. Dykes has described seeing forest elephants and other animals close to the expedition’s route.
One particularly concerning incident involved a swarm of bees that the team said chased them while they were travelling along the river. Dykes described the encounter as a close call.
The presence of hippos and crocodiles in the region also meant that entering the water was not necessarily a straightforward alternative when the crew faced a difficult situation.
These encounters illustrate the conditions described in the expedition’s own updates, but they should not be interpreted as evidence of a specific current threat to the team.
Ash Dykes reports a mystery insect sting
On October 20, Dykes reported another uncomfortable encounter with an insect.
He described receiving his first “nasty little sting” after feeling something moving beneath his shirt.
Dykes said he did not know exactly what had stung him and suggested it could have been a bee or another insect. The insect was not identified, so the available information does not establish which species was responsible.
The incident was documented as part of the expedition’s ongoing experiences in the rainforest, where insects and wildlife form part of the environment through which the team is travelling.
Project 6: What Is Next for Ash Dykes?
The Congo Basin mission represents only the first stage of Dykes’ broader Project 6 plan.
His official website describes the series as six expeditions in six extreme environments over 12 months. Although the Sangha River journey is the only mission whose location has been publicly identified in detail so far, the remaining five destinations have not been disclosed.
Dykes has previously indicated that the second mission will take place in a substantially colder environment. Reports have cited his description of temperatures around 5°F, but that detail does not establish a specific destination.
For now, the immediate focus remains on the ongoing Congo Basin expedition and the team’s progress towards Mossaka.
The communication blackout demonstrated how quickly routine updates can become difficult when an expedition is operating far from reliable infrastructure. The combination of an unavailable Starlink connection and a depleted power bank significantly reduced the crew’s ability to communicate, although the Garmin/satellite-phone system ultimately allowed it to send a short message confirming its safety.
Further details about the team’s precise location and progress depend on subsequent expedition updates.
Who Is Ash Dykes? A Look at the Welsh Explorer’s Achievements
Ash Dykes is a Welsh explorer, extreme athlete, author and television presenter known for long-distance expeditions through challenging environments.
His official website currently describes him as a five-time world-record holder, including four world firsts.
His listed achievements include a solo and unsupported expedition across Mongolia, a traverse of Madagascar, a journey along the Yangtze and two record-setting achievements connected to his 2024 Suriname expedition.
His previous journeys have involved travelling through remote environments on foot and by kayak, experience that he is now drawing upon during Project 6.
Nevertheless, the Congo Basin mission presents a distinct challenge. The expedition combines long-distance river travel, remote rainforest conditions, limited communications and complex logistical arrangements across multiple countries.
The need to manage these factors has been evident throughout the journey, from the initial luggage and visa problems to the difficulties of finding campsites and maintaining reliable access to drinking water.
Other Extreme Endurance Stories
Remote expeditions can involve changing conditions, logistical setbacks and long periods of physical endurance far from conventional support. Readers interested in another endurance-focused story can explore our Dale Sanders Appalachian Trail record story.
Conclusion: Ash Dykes and His Team Are Safe as the Expedition Continues
Ash Dykes and his expedition team have been confirmed safe following more than 16 hours without communication with their support crew on October 21, 2026.
The interruption occurred while the group was travelling down the Sangha River during the first mission of Project 6. The team subsequently explained that its Starlink connection was unavailable and its power bank had died, leaving it able to send only brief messages when the Garmin system obtained a signal.
Before the interruption, Dykes had reported covering approximately 400 kilometres of the planned journey, with a substantial distance still remaining before the destination at Mossaka in the Republic of the Congo.
The expedition has faced several logistical, environmental and equipment-related challenges, but the latest confirmed information does not indicate that the journey has been cancelled or suspended.
For now, the key update is clear: Ash Dykes and his companions are safe, the communications problem was temporary, and the Congo Basin expedition is continuing. Their exact current location and further progress remain dependent on the next available expedition update.
Source and Research Disclaimer
This article has been prepared based on thorough research of the sources provided below, including official Ash Dykes and Project 6 material and relevant reporting from PEOPLE and USA TODAY. It reflects the information available from those sources as of October 22, 2026, and does not imply independent verification beyond the information they provide. Expedition conditions, communications and progress may change as new updates become available.
Sources:
- Ash Dykes Official Website and Project 6 Information
- PEOPLE: Ash Dykes’ Team Confirms Everyone Is Safe After 16-Hour Communication Gap
- PEOPLE: Ash Dykes Reports Mystery Insect Sting in Congo Basin
- PEOPLE: Ash Dykes’ Visa Problems Before the Congo Basin Expedition
- PEOPLE: Missing Luggage Delays the Start of the Expedition
- USA TODAY Report on the 16-Hour Communications Interruption
- Guinness World Records
Featured Image Credit: Official TikTok / Ash Dykes
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