Daily Dispatches – 28th May
Everest’s remarkable 2026 spring season is now effectively drawing to a close, with only isolated teams remaining on the mountain as camps begin to empty and the Khumbu Icefall prepares to shut down for another year.
The biggest headline of the day came from American ultra-runner Tyler Andrews, who returned to Everest Base Camp after completing a stunning record-breaking ascent of the world’s highest mountain.
Andrews reached the summit in just 9 hours and 55 minutes, breaking the long-standing oxygen-assisted Everest speed record set by Lakpa Gelu Sherpa in 2003 by more than an hour. He later completed the full round trip back to Base Camp in 16 hours and 32 minutes, an extraordinary physical effort even by elite endurance standards.
The achievement was particularly significant given Andrews’ long and often frustrating pursuit of Everest speed records. Before this climb, he had already made five unsuccessful attempts to establish a Fastest Known Time on Everest without supplemental oxygen.
For this latest push, Andrews made the decision to use bottled oxygen from Camp 2 onwards, climbing with a flow rate of four litres per minute. While some observers questioned the decision after his previous focus on a no-oxygen record, Andrews was clear that the performance still represented one of the toughest athletic challenges of his life.
“Going to the summit in 9h55 and back in 16h32 is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” he explained after returning to Base Camp.
The American believes a no-oxygen Everest speed record is still possible, but admitted the challenge is often dictated by factors beyond an athlete’s control. Weather, route conditions, crowding and objective hazards have repeatedly derailed previous attempts despite his physical preparation.
After years of trying, Andrews now appears ready to move on.
“I am done with the South Side,” he said after the climb, describing the Nepal route as increasingly complicated, dangerous and crowded for future speed attempts.
Whatever opinions exist regarding oxygen-assisted speed records, Andrews’ achievement will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the standout athletic performances of the 2026 Everest season and one of the fastest ascents ever recorded on the mountain.
Elsewhere on the mountain, another major story emerged involving Lithuanian climber Saulius Damulevicius, who was rescued from Camp 4 following his no-oxygen Everest attempt.
According to SummitClimb expedition leader Daniel Mazur, the company’s final descending climber and last Sherpa team leaving the South Col discovered Damulevicius alone inside a tent near the route in extremely weak condition.
The climber reportedly belonged to another expedition company and was said to have no oxygen, food or water remaining when rescuers reached him.
In darkness, strong winds and extreme cold, the SummitClimb team entered the tent and immediately began administering oxygen, fluids and food while attempting to stabilise him high in the Death Zone. Damulevicius has since reportedly been evacuated down towards lower camps for further recovery.
The dramatic rescue once again highlighted both the extreme risks climbers continue to face above 8,000 metres and the crucial role played by Sherpas and fellow mountaineers during emergencies high on Everest.
As the season finally winds down, Everest 2026 will likely be remembered as one of the busiest and most dramatic years in recent history — a season of record permit numbers, huge summit waves, speed attempts, national milestones, rescues, triumphs and tragedy played out high above the Khumbu Glacier.
