Sherpa sets off to climb Everest for 19th time

A Sherpa guide who holds the record for the most climbs up Mt Everest set off yesterday to scale the world's highest mountain for a 19th time.

Appa, 48, flew out of Kathmandu with his team for Lukla, from where they will trek to Everest's base camp and spend a few days preparing for their summit bid in May.

He first climbed the 8850m summit in 1989 and has done so almost every year since.