Welsh extreme explorer Ash Dykes and his crew have been out of contact with their support team for more than 16 hours while kayaking through the Congo Basin, raising concerns about their safety during a 700-kilometer expedition. A statement published on Dykes' official Instagram account on Wednesday, October 21, said his support team had not received any communication from the adventurer or his companions.

The statement reads: "Please bear with us, 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."

The message was signed by Matt, a member of Dykes' support team managing communications during the journey. The statement didn't specify where the expedition members were last contacted or explain what might have caused the communication gap, and there has been no confirmation that Dykes or his companions have been injured or are in immediate danger.

The 35-year-old adventurer started his most recent adventure at the beginning of October, planning to kayak a stretch of 700 kilometers on the Sangha River, from Nola in the Central African Republic to Mossaka in the Republic of the Congo. Travelling in inflatable kayaks, Dykes is joined by filmmaker Will Pérez and Obed Temba, who is their guide.

Project 6, which consists of six extreme adventures in 12 months in various terrains, starts with this expedition through the Congo Basin region. In this remote region, the team faces many dangers such as gorillas, hippos, crocodiles, extreme heat, challenging river currents, lack of potable water, and limited medical support.

Authorities and support staff are monitoring the situation closely while hoping for a positive update from the missing team.