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Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Veterans who completed record-breaking Everest ascent reveal they battled an avalanche and deadly diarrhoea
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FOUR veterans who smashed the world record for the fastest round-trip ascent of Everest have revealed how close they came to death. Veterans minister and former Royal Marine Al Carns, 45, and three ex- elite forces pals went from London to the summit and back in a week. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Four veterans who smashed the world record for the fastest round-trip ascent of Everest have revealed how close they came to death Credit: AP 3 The team went from London to the summit of Everest and back in a week Credit: Andrew Styczynski But they were hit by an avalanche, ran out of oxygen and one of the team suffered potentially fatal diarrhoea in the mountain's 'death zone', more than 26,000ft above sea level. Team leader Garth Miller, 51, an ex-Gurkha and elite forces officer, hailed their success as 'a triumph of courage and teamwork'. They trekked past newly dead bodies and saw rescuers carrying a corpse. On their final ascent gusts of wind sent temperatures plunging to minus 35C. They endured an agonising 45-minute halt while they convinced their Sherpa support team to continue. Miller, now a long-haul pilot, said: 'That was the make-or-break moment. 'Our success hinged on keeping the Sherpa team on side. Without them it was unsafe to continue. 'We had the strongest Sherpa team on the mountain. "They were absolutely amazing, but three had already decided to descend because of the extreme weather conditions. 'Pasang, our lead Sherpa with six Everest summits under his belt, was keen for us to retreat and try for the summit the next day.' Britain's Toughest MP: Everest Seven-Day Challenge Winds on the exposed South East Ridge were gusting at well over 40mph. Miller said: 'It was at the edge of our risk tolerance but we felt it was safe to continue. "With our Sherpa team reduced, our safety net was gone. We managed to persuade them to continue for one more hour. 'I knew if we could do that, the sun would come up, it would warm our bones, and everything would feel better. "In that time we could reach the South Summit, and from there we'd see the summit — making success almost inevitable.' Most expeditions take 70 days to reach the 29,030ft summit. But Carns, Miller, Kevin Godlington, 49, and Anthony Stazicker, 41, used xenon gas to pre-acclimatise to thin air — saving weeks. 3 On their final ascent gusts of wind sent temperatures plunging to minus 35C Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
The Irish Sun
23-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Veterans who completed record-breaking Everest ascent reveal they battled an avalanche and deadly diarrhoea
FOUR veterans who smashed the world record for the fastest round-trip ascent of Everest have revealed how close they came to death. Veterans minister and former Royal Marine Al Carns, 45, and three ex- elite forces pals went from Advertisement 3 Four veterans who smashed the world record for the fastest round-trip ascent of Everest have revealed how close they came to death Credit: AP 3 The team went from London to the summit of Everest and back in a week Credit: Andrew Styczynski But they were hit by an avalanche, ran out of oxygen and one of the team suffered potentially fatal diarrhoea in the mountain's ' Team leader Garth Miller, 51, an ex-Gurkha and elite forces officer, hailed their success as 'a triumph of courage and teamwork'. They trekked past On their final ascent gusts of wind sent temperatures plunging to minus 35C. Advertisement read more on everest They endured an agonising 45-minute halt while they convinced their Sherpa support team to continue. Miller, now a long-haul pilot, said: 'That was the make-or-break moment. ' 'We had the strongest Sherpa team on the mountain. Advertisement Most read in The Sun "They were absolutely amazing, but three had already decided to descend because of the extreme weather conditions. 'Pasang, our lead Sherpa with six Everest summits under his belt, was keen for us to retreat and try for the summit the next day.' Britain's Toughest MP: Everest Seven-Day Challenge Winds on the exposed South East Ridge were gusting at well over 40mph. Miller said: 'It was at the edge of our risk tolerance but we felt it was safe to continue. Advertisement "With our Sherpa team reduced, our safety net was gone. We managed to persuade them to continue for one more hour. 'I knew if we could do that, the sun would come up, it would warm our bones, and everything would feel better. "In that time we could reach the South Summit, and from there we'd see Most expeditions take 70 days to reach the 29,030ft summit. Advertisement But Carns, Miller, Kevin Godlington, 49, and Anthony Stazicker, 41, used xenon gas to pre-acclimatise to thin air — saving weeks. 3 On their final ascent gusts of wind sent temperatures plunging to minus 35C Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
