Nine Bengaluru trekkers dead in Uttarakhand due to adverse climate, 13 rescued

The state government is in touch with the rescue operations team, and the families of the deceased are informed.

The death toll in the Uttarakhand trekking tragedy has increased as a total of nine people from Karnataka lost their lives. The state government is in touch with the rescue operations team, and the families of the deceased are informed.

Nine Bengaluru trekkers dead in Uttarakhand due to adverse climate, 13 rescued(Unsplash)

On May 27, a team of 22 members went on a 35-km long trek from Uttarkashi, and a trekking company called Himalayan View Trekking Agency took them. However, while on their way back to the base camp, the weather conditions at high altitude turned ugly, and they were trapped on the mountain. 18 trekkers were from Karnataka and one from Maharashtra, and they went with three local guides.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah directed the revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda to monitor the rescue operations, and the latter went to Dehradun to coordinate with the officials there.

According to Gowda, emergency rescue operations started on Tuesday evening with the help of locally available helicopters. Also, an Indian Air Force helicopter reached Uttarkashi at 9 am on Wednesday to rescue the trekkers, and a disaster management team started moving towards the camp.

In a statement, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said, "It is very painful to know that the death toll has risen to nine. I pray for the departed souls to rest in peace. All those rescued should be safely brought home without any disturbance. Instructions have been given to Minister Krishna Byre Gowda that all the necessary procedures should be carried out immediately to handover the bodies to the families."