A record-breaking attempt to fly around the world in a solar powered plane has got under way from Abu Dhabi.

The aircraft called Solar Impulse 2 took off from the Emirate, heading east to Muscat in Oman.

Over the next five months, it will skip from continent to continent, crossing both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in the process.

Andre Borschberg was at the controls of the single-seater vehicle as it took off at 07:12 local time (03:12 GMT).

He will share the pilot duties in due course with fellow Swiss, Bertrand Piccard.

The plan is stop off at various locations around the globe, to rest and to carry out maintenance, and also to spread a campaigning message about clean technologies.

– BBC

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