American climber Tyler Andrews has broken the world record for the fastest ascent of Everest using supplemental oxygen. He reached the top of the world's tallest mountain an hour faster than the previous record holder, CBS News reports.
Andrews, 36, from Concord, Massachusetts, reached the 29,032-foot peak in just 9 hours 55 minutes, breaking the record set by Nepalese climber Lakpa Gelu Sherpa, who completed the route in 10 hours 56 minutes in 2003.
According to The Himalayan Times, Andrews left Everest Base Camp at 7:11 pm on May 27 and reached the summit at 5:06 am on May 28. He made the climb alone, but the accompanying team provided him with oxygen cylinders, water and food, and also monitored the route via a GPS tracker. Andrews made it down safely from the South Summit on Thursday. A full-length documentary will be made about his ascent, the publication adds.
Screenshot: tylercandrews/Instagram
This was Andrews' sixth attempt at the record in the past two years. Earlier in May, he attempted to conquer Everest without using supplemental oxygen, but was forced to turn around en route. However, he holds more than 100 world records for speed climbing various peaks, including Ama Dablam, Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua and Fuji. In September 2024, Andrews set the speed record for climbing Nepal's Manaslu peak, completing the climb in 9 hours 52 minutes without supplemental oxygen.
It is known that the athlete previously defeated cancer. He is currently raising funds to support young athletes from Ecuador and Nepal who do not have the opportunity to hire a coach or purchase the necessary equipment.
More than 950 climbers have reached the summit of Everest this season. Five people died – two Indian citizens and three Nepalese climbers who participated in preparing the routes, writes CBS News.
