Overview

• A team of four British ex-special forces, including Veterans Minister Alistair Carns, reached Everest’s summit on May 21 after pre-acclimatizing with hypoxic tents and xenon gas treatments in Germany.
• Nepal’s tourism ministry has launched an official inquiry, labelling the gas use as unethical and warning that shorter climb schedules could cut Sherpa employment and revenues.
• The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation and medical experts caution that xenon’s benefits lack scientific proof and unregulated use may pose serious health risks.
• Lukas Furtenbach, the expedition organiser, plans to introduce two-week guided Everest packages using xenon-assisted acclimatization from 2026, arguing it will reduce waste and exposure risks.
• Sherpa leaders warn that bypassing on-mountain acclimatization undermines the spirit of climbing, potentially encouraging inexperienced climbers to attempt dangerous high-altitude ascents.