Bengaluru, Jun 6 (IANS): As many as nine trekkers from Karnataka died near the Sahastra Tal in Uttarakhand due to adverse weather conditions, while a few others were missing from a team of trekkers who went there from the state, officials said here on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that he is pained to learn that nine trekkers from Karnataka have died after being caught in bad weather near the Sahastra Tal. He also directed Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who has reached Dehradun, to ensure the safe return of all the rescued trekkers to Karnataka.

Siddaramaiah also spoke to the rescued trekkers at the Revenue Bhavan in Dehradun over phone.

“All attempts are being made at the government level to bring back everyone who has gone missing,” he said.

“The adverse weather is posing a major obstacle to the rescue mission, and our government is trying all possible measures and working beyond capacity to bring back the trekkers from the state,” he added.

Gowda has also been instructed to make arrangements to bring back the bodies of the nine deceased trekkers to Karnataka at the earliest.

The Sahastra Tal trek is a high-altitude trail at 15,000 feet in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand.

Reports on Wednesday evening said that nine trekkers, part of a 22-member group, died after losing their way due to bad weather while on their way to Sahastra Tal on Tuesday. A joint air-ground search and rescue operation has been launched.

State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra also prayed for the safe return of the trekkers, and said, “I request the Karnataka government to contact the Uttarakhand government immediately and initiate all possible measures for the safe return of all the trekkers from the state."