Concern grows for explorer Ash Dykes after contact lost during Congo Basin expedition

• Support team reports more than 16 hours without contact with Dykes and his two companions.
• The group is kayaking over 700 kilometres along the Sangha River as part of Project 6.
• No accident, injury or immediate danger has been confirmed.

Welsh explorer Ash Dykes and his two companions have been out of contact with their support team for more than 16 hours during a kayaking expedition through the Congo Basin, prompting concern for their safety.

A statement posted on his official social media accounts on Wednesday, October 21, described the prolonged silence as concerning. Signed by support team member Matt, the message said further updates would be shared when information became available.

The statement did not identify the group’s last known location or explain the communication gap. There has been no confirmed report of an accident, injury or immediate danger involving the expedition members.

Dykes, 35, is travelling with filmmaker Will Pérez and local guide Obed Temba. Using inflatable kayaks, the trio is covering more than 700 kilometres along the Sangha River, from Nola in the Central African Republic to Mossaka in the Republic of the Congo.

The journey is the opening stage of Project 6, a series of six expeditions across extreme environments planned over 12 months. The Congo Basin route involves intense heat, challenging river conditions and dangerous wildlife, with limited access to safe drinking water and medical assistance.

Before communication stopped, Dykes had been sharing footage of the expedition on social media, documenting its physical demands and the setbacks encountered along the way.

In a video posted on October 20, he described a painful sting from an unidentified insect that had got beneath his shirt. No connection has been established between that incident and the loss of contact.

The team had also faced difficulties before starting the river journey, including visa complications and delayed luggage containing the pumps needed to inflate their kayaks.

Dykes has previously completed major expeditions across Mongolia and Madagascar, as well as a journey along China’s Yangtze River. His support team said it would release further information as soon as communication with the group resumed.