UTTARKASHI: The bodies of four more trekkers from Bengaluru who died during a trek to Sahastra Tal were recovered on Thursday, completing the retrieval of bodies of all nine victims, officials said.
Thirteen trekkers have been rescued safely, SDM Brijesh Kumar Tiwari said, adding that the rescue operation aided by Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters is over.
The bodies of five persons, including a 71-year-old woman, who were part of the same trekking group were recovered on Wednesday, the officer said.
A magisterial probe has been ordered into the matter by Chief Secretary Radha Raturi. It will be conducted by Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey, who has been asked to submit his report as soon as possible.
Two Cheetah helicopters of the IAF brought down the four bodies from Silla-Kushkalyan-Sahatratal trek route to Bhatwadi in Uttarkashi district this morning, the officials said.
They were identified as Venkatesh Prasad (53), Padmanadha Kundapur Krishnamurthy (50), Anita Rangappa (60) and Padmini Hegde (34), Bhatwari SDM Brijesh Kumar Tiwari said.
Bodies of five other trekkers retrieved on Wednesday were identified as Sindhu Vakekalam (44), Asha Sudhakar (71), Sujatha Mungurwadi (52), Vinayak Mungurwadi (55) and Chitra Praneeth (48), he added.
The 22-member trekking team from Bengaluru was sent by Himalayan View Trekking Agency, Maneri, on May 29 on a 35-km long trek from Uttarkashi, according to officials.
The team was to return by June 7, but lost its way after being hit by a blizzard while returning from the lake located at a height of more than 15000 feet.
The trekking agency later found that four members of the team had died and others were stranded, following which land and aerial rescue operations were launched in search of the trekkers.
The IAF was also roped in to rescue the stranded trekkers and find the bodies of those who died, according to officials.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had on Wednesday instructed the officials concerned to take necessary action for safe rescue of trekkers and to bring the bodies of the deceased to the state immediately.