Bodies of trekkers who died in Uttarakhand to reach B'luru today

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Bodies of the nine Karnataka trekkers who lost their lives in Uttarakhand due to extreme weather conditions are being transported by road and are likely to reach Delhi early morning on Friday, said Krishna Byre Gowda, State Minister for Disaster Management.

A 22-member trekking team was sent by Himalayan View Trekking Agency, Maneri, on May 29 on a 35-km long trek from Uttarkashi. The team comprised 18 trekkers from Karnataka and one from Maharashtra, besides three local guides, they said.

Krishna Byre Gowda, who is also the state Revenue Minister, met Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi and Secretary of Disaster Management Ranjit Sinha in Dehradun on Thursday and thanked them for their swift response to the calamity.

In a statement released by his office on Thursday, the minister said all nine bodies have been shifted to a hospital for embalming.

"After embalming, the bodies will be transported in ambulances to Delhi airport. We are booking space on tomorrow morning's Delhi-Bengaluru flights," he said.

A few hours later, the minister gave an update saying that he is on the way back to Bengaluru along with the 13 survivors in a 5:50 pm flight.

"With the group of 13 at Dehradun on the way back to Bengaluru. At the same time transportation of 9 bodies to Delhi by road has also started. Tomorrow morning, those bodies will be flown to Bengaluru," he said, sharing a picture with the survivors at the airport.

After the incident came to light on Wednesday, Gowda flew to Dehradun to monitor and coordinate the rescue operation. On Wednesday, bodies of five trekkers were airlifted to Uttarkashi and in an early morning operation today, four more bodies were recovered and airlifted to Uttarkashi, he said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday instructed officials concerned to take necessary action for the safe rescue of trekkers and to bring the bodies of the deceased to the state immediately.

According to Krishna Byre Gowda, the team of trekkers from Karnataka started their trek on Tuesday morning in the high altitude area of Shastratal Mayali in Uttarakhand.

After reaching the destination, the team tried to return to the camp again. However, on the way back, the weather turned completely bad at 2 pm due to a blizzard and they were stranded.