KATHMANDU, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Appa Sherpa set the new Mt. Qomolangma record by scaling the top of the world for the 18th time, Xinhua was informed on Thursday.

    "Appa has scaled Mt. Sagarmatha (Mt. Qomolangma) for the 18th time," Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of Nepal Mountaineering Association and founder of the Asian Trekking with his son Dawa Steven Sherpa as managing director, told Xinhua on Thursday, "I got the information from the Base Camp."

    Appa Sherpa, 48-year-old Nepali national who scaled Mt. Qomolangma for the first time in 1989, joined the "Eco Everest (Qomolangma) Expedition 2008" led by Dawa Steven Sherpa at the end of April. The expedition is organized by the Kathmandu-based International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) with partnership of Asian Trekking and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

    In a letter posted on the website of EverestNews.com, Ang Tshering Sherpa wrote "I am also very pleased to inform you that Appa Sherpa reached the summit of Mt. Everest (Qomolangma) for a record 18th time at 5:45 a.m. on May 22." Ang confirmed the authenticity of the letter with Xinhua on Thursday afternoon.

    Ang Mingma Sherpa from Thame village said that Appa had no plan to make the 18th attempt this year until he heard about the Eco-Everest Expedition, which was aimed to study the effect of global warming on the glaciers of the Himalayas and to educate the people of the Himalayan highlands about the dangers of flooding due to increasing melt water.

    Ang Tshing also confirmed that "this morning I received a phone call from my son, Dawa Steven, from 8516 m - the summit of Mt. Lhotse!"

    According to Ang Tshering, Dawa Steven's summiting has been confirmed by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal, while Appa Sherpa's is yet to be confirmed by the ministry.