Tyler Andrews broke the record today for the fastest ascent of Mount Everest using supplemental oxygen, completing the climb from base camp (5,364 meters) to the summit (8,848 meters) in under 10 hours, according to his expedition team.

“He reached the summit in just 9 hours and 55 minutes,” Sherpa David Stephen, head of the expedition company Asia Trekking, told AFP.

The previous official record belonged to Nepali Sherpa Lhakpa Gelu, who reached the “top of the world” in 10 hours and 56 minutes in 2003, following the same route.

According to Asia Trekking, the 36-year-old Andrews completed the ascent alone, although he was assisted by two guides who provided oxygen, water, and equipment during the climb.

More than 950 climbers, according to Nepalese authorities, have successfully reached the summit of Everest during the spring climbing season that began on May 13. The total is approaching record levels thanks to favorable weather conditions.

According to the Guinness World Records, the highest number of Everest ascents in a single season had previously been 872, a record set in 2019.

Several additional records have also been broken this year, including:

• the highest number of ascents completed in a single day (275 on May 21), and
• the largest number of climbing permits issued to foreign climbers (494).

Five climbers — two Indians and three Nepalese — have died on Everest this year. The deadliest recent season was 2023, when 18 people lost their lives on the mountain.