Nepali sherpa sets Everest climb record

KATHMANDU, May 19 (Reuters) A Nepali sherpa climbed the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, for the 16th time today, bettering his own record set last year, a hiking official said.

Apa Sherpa, 46, scaled the 8,850-metre (29,035-foot) summit along the normal South Col route with a climber of an American team and two fellow sherpas.

''He is a highly professional climber. We are proud of him and his climb,'' said Ang Tshering Sherpa, chief of the Asian Trekking company that provided local support to the American team Apa accompanied.

At least 1,345 people have climbed the Everest so far from the Nepali and Tibetan sides since 1953.

The South Col route from Nepal that Apa took was pioneered by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in 1953.

There are 86 expeditions on the mountain from both sides in the current climbing season that started in March.

REUTERS SHB RN1620