Tyler Andrews Sets New Record on Mount Everest Summit

Record-Breaking Ascent

Kathmandu: American climber Tyler Andrews has reportedly achieved a remarkable feat by reaching the summit of Mount Everest with the aid of supplementary oxygen on Thursday. According to his team, Andrews completed the ascent in an impressive 9 hours and 55 minutes, surpassing the previous record by nearly an hour.

Andrews, a cancer survivor, has now broken the longstanding record of 10 hours and 56 minutes set by Nepali climber Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa in 2003. This new timing is pending official confirmation from Nepal's mountain authorities, as reported by CBS News. Team leader Dawa Steven Sherpa from Asian Trekking stated, "He reached Everest's peak in just 9 hours 55 minutes." Andrews shared on Instagram that he reached the summit just before dawn on Thursday.

During his solo climb, Andrews received supplementary oxygen, food, and water to support his ascent. Earlier this season, he attempted to break the record for climbing Everest without supplementary oxygen, which stands at 22 hours and 29 minutes, but had to turn back.

In an interview with CBS Boston last month, Andrews expressed his dedication to training, stating, "I've been training as an athlete all the way from high school cross country to running marathons to running in the mountains, and, you know, Mount Everest is kind of the pinnacle of all of that." His training took place in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Additionally, Andrews is working to raise funds to support young athletes in Ecuador and Nepal who lack proper access to training, coaching, and sports equipment. This climbing season has seen over 950 mountaineers successfully reach the summit of Mount Everest, although the favorable weather window is expected to close soon. Tragically, five climbers, including two Indians and three Nepalis, have reportedly lost their lives this season, contributing to a total of 18 fatalities on Everest in 2023.