MOUNT EVEREST, NEPAL (REUTERS) - Spanish climber Kilian Jornet reached the summit of Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain at midnight on Monday (May 22) after 26 hours climb, claiming a new fastest known time (FKT).

Jornet, who made his first attempt on Mount Everest in September 2016, reached the summit via the north face of the world's highest mountain (8,848m) following the traditional route in a single climb without the help of bottled oxygen or fixed ropes.

The climb, which forms part of the Summits of My Life project, is said to be the fastest known ascent of Mount Everest.

Several other climbers, including two Sherpas - native to the high altitude Himalayan mountains, claimed to have climbed it in more than half Jornet's time (8h 10min and 10h 46min), but that records remain unofficial and disputed.

Most climbers take two to three weeks to summit Mt Everest and fewer than 200 people have summited Everest without oxygen.