Bengaluru, June 6 (Reporter) The bodies of nine trekkers from Karnataka who are perished in a severe blizzard in Uttarakhand are expected to be flown to Bengaluru on Thursday, officials have confirmed. The tragedy struck a 22-member trekking group, organized by the Himalayan View Trekking Agency, Maneri, after they embarked on a 35-kilometer trek from Uttarkashi on May 29. The group included 18 trekkers from Karnataka, one from Maharashtra, and three local guides. Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, currently in Dehradun, met Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi and Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Sinha to express gratitude for their swift response. He requested assistance to transport the bodies back to Bengaluru, and arrangements were promptly made. "All nine bodies are expected to arrive in Dehradun by noon. After embalming at a local hospital, they will be airlifted to Bengaluru today," Gowda stated. The Minister also reported that eight trekkers, including women, were rescued and transported to Dehradun on Wednesday. An additional five rescued trekkers will be airlifted from Uttarkashi to Dehradun today. "On Wednesday, five bodies were airlifted to Uttarkashi, and in an early morning operation today, four more bodies were recovered and transported to Uttarkashi," Gowda said. Post-mortem examinations are currently being conducted in Uttarkashi, after which the bodies will be airlifted to Dehradun for embalming. Following the incident, Gowda traveled to Dehradun to oversee and coordinate the rescue operations. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah instructed officials to ensure the safe rescue of the trekkers and the prompt return of the deceased to Karnataka. The trekking team from Karnataka had started their high-altitude journey to Shastratal Mayali in Uttarakhand on Tuesday morning. While attempting to return to their camp, they were caught in a severe blizzard at 2 PM and became stranded. "The Uttarakhand government, the Mountaineering Federation of India, and the Central Government's Home Department were contacted immediately through the district administration, enabling the rescue operation to commence," Gowda explained. Emergency rescue operations began on Tuesday evening with the assistance of locally available helicopters. An Indian Air Force helicopter also reached Uttarkashi at 9 AM on Wednesday to aid in the rescue efforts, with a disaster management team moving towards the camp by land. On Wednesday evening, the Chief Minister's Office released a statement confirming that the bodies of the deceased trekkers would be handed over to their families and that the rescued trekkers would be safely brought back to Karnataka. "All rescued individuals should be returned home without delay. Byre Gowda has been instructed to ensure all necessary procedures are followed promptly to hand over the bodies to their families," the Chief Minister's office statement said...////...