Scot makes history with world's fastest ascent of Everest taking just FIVE days…& says ‘I won't climb again'

Scottish Sun

21-05-2025

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A SCOTS MP made history today with the fastest ascent of Mount Everest — using xenon gas.
Ex-Special Forces Commando Al Carns, 45, and three former SAS and SBS pals reached the roof of the world at 7am local time — 2am in the UK.
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L-R: Veterans minister Al Carns, 45, Kevin Godlington, 49, Anthony Stazicker, 41, Garth Miller, 51 scaled the world's tallest mountain in just five days
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Everest team the night they set off having left London last Friday
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Al Carnes MP Minister for Veterans hopes to raise £1million for charities
Credit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
Their lightning ascent came just five days after they'd left London. They even survived an avalanche.
Most expeditions take 70 days to let climbers acclimatise to the thin air at 8,850m (29,035ft).
But the group slept in low-oxygen tents to prepare their bodies for the conditions.
And they inhaled controversial xenon gas, which helps the body produce red blood cells to avoid deadly altitude sickness.
A photo from the summit showed Aberdeen-born Carns with a Union flag he'd carried on all his military tours, including to Afghanistan.
He said the climb was 'off the scale of a challenge', adding: 'Now we've done the biggest, I am never doing another mountain again.'
The Veterans Minister was with ex-comrades Garth Miller, 51, Kevin Godlington, 49, and Anthony Stazicker, 41, They were accompanied by cameraman Sandro Gromen-Hayes and five Nepalese Sherpas.
Expedition leader Lukas Furtenbach, 47, who spoke to The Sun from Everest Base Camp, told how the team had a narrow escape on the first full day of their climb.
He said: 'An avalanche came down on them from Nuptse, a 7,800m peak.
"They were covered in white powder but not buried. It was a shocking moment for them.'
I climbed Mt Everest with no experience & 3 weeks training
He revealed the final ascent had been 'tough' due to 35mph gusts.
Furtenbach said: 'Conditions were windy, so it was a hard day for them. It was right on the edge.
'They spent about half an hour on the summit then came down to Camp 4 at 8,000m. They are doing great and are in high spirits.'
Their feat is a record Everest ascent without acclimatising in the Himalayas beforehand.
The group are hoping to raise more than £1million for veterans' charities.
Carns is Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak.
He said he was an 'average schoolkid from Aberdeen' before he joined the Royal Marines at 19