Veteran climber sets records on crowded Everest (2nd Roundup)

May 16, 2007, 13:07 GMT

Kathmandu - A veteran Sherpa mountain guide Wednesday scaled the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest, for a record 17th time, beating his own record, as 21 other climbers reached the summit, the Nepalese government confirmed.

Meanwhile, two South Koreans were killed in their attempt to reach the summit.

The two South Koreans, aged 35 and 37, were killed by falling boulders as they sought to conquer Everest using a new route via the south-west wall, the Yonhap news agency reported, quoting the Korean Alpinist Federation.

21 other climbers reached the summit Wednesday, the Nepalese government confirmed.

The Nepalese Ministry of Tourism said the ascent by Appa Sherpa created two records on the mountain on Wednesday.

Appa, who is 46 and had come out of retirement, reached the summit along with six other members of his Super Sherpa Expedition.

His team member and record holder for the fastest climb, Lakpa Gelu Sherpa, reached the summit for the 13th time.

Lakpa Gelu came into his own after reaching the summit from the base camp in a record time of just 10 hours 56 minutes and 46 seconds.

The Nepalese government said the two men then unveiled a newly published book once they reached the summit.

'This event has made both the record holder climbers as the first book releaser on the top of Everest relating to travelogue literature, and the book has become the first of its kind to be released on the top of the world,' a government statement said.

The expedition is part of the climbers' efforts to make a documentary film highlighting the role of the Sherpas and the Nepalese people since the historic summit of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in 1953.

The Nepalese government also confirmed that two Americans, two Norwegians and a Swede were among those who climbed the world's highest mountain Wednesday.

Those reaching the summit included 39-year-old Guillermo Benegas and 24-year-old Erik from the United States and 48-year-old Norwegian Eirik Tryti and Bjorn AB Evensen from Mountain Madness Everest Expedition 2007.

Six other Sherpa guides of the same team also successfully reached the summit Wednesday morning, the ministry said. The lone Swede atop Mt Everest has been identified as 38-year-old Johan Earnst of Dream Everest Expedition 2007.

President of Nepal Mountaineering Association Ang Tshering Sherpa said the climbers took advantage of a break in weather to push for the summit early Wednesday from their high altitude camp 4 at 7,950 metres above sea level.

The climbers had been waiting for the weather to clear up for several days as raging winds along with heavy snow fell on the Nepalese Himalayas since the beginning of May.

According to the Nepalese government, more than 17 expeditions were given permission to climb Mt Everest in the Spring climbing season which lasts until the end of May.