Contact Restored: Explorer Ash Dykes Confirmed Safe After 16-Hour Blackout in the Congo Basin
A tense 16-hour communications blackout on the Sangha River ended with relief as extreme explorer Ash Dykes and his expedition team made contact via satellite messenger, confirming that all members are safe following hardware failures in the depths of the Congo Basin.
Dykes is currently tackling a grueling 434-mile journey from Nola in the Central African Republic to Mossaka in the Republic of the Congo. The expedition marks the inaugural leg of Project Six, a mission aimed at conquering six extreme global environments across 12 months.
Dead Batteries and Lost Satellites
Dykes’ social media team sounded the alarm when scheduled check-ins and video dispatches suddenly ceased, posting a warning across his platforms:“It’s been more than 16 hours since we last heard from Ash and the team which is concerning. We will endeavour to keep you posted and let you all know as soon as we hear more.”
Four hours later, a terse ping from a Garmin inReach satellite communicator reached base camp:
-
The Culprit: The team’s Starlink satellite terminal lost its link, while their primary field power bank died completely.
-
Limited Bandwidth: Without sufficient battery reserves to power high-bandwidth transmitters or cameras, the crew has been restricted to transmitting short text coordinates only when hand-held satellite signals punch through the dense canopy.
-
All Safe: The team verified that Dykes, his videographer, and their local river guide remain healthy and on route down the Sangha waterway.
Rocky Beginnings on Project Six
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/ash-dykes-2-617d83c223674796b5c9a9eb34906ff5.jpg)
The blackout marks the latest hurdle in an expedition plagued by logistics headaches before a single paddle hit the water:
-
Missing Gear: Crucial camp equipment and food rations were temporarily lost during transit through Cameroon, threatening the launch before the bags were recovered.
-
Border Delays: Complications with diplomatic entry visas forced the expedition to alter its border-crossing route from Cameroon into the Central African Republic.
Dykes previously teased that Leg 2 of Project Six will take him from the sweltering humidity of equatorial rainforests to sub-zero polar conditions averaging 5°F (-15°C).
