Mangaluru: Experts have pinpointed the likely location of the truck and its driver from Kerala, missing since the July 16 landslide on National Highway 66 in Shiruru. Using technical expertise and human efforts, it is inferred that the truck is under the debris in the Gangavali River, about 60 meters from National Highway 66.
The landslide resulted in the disappearance of at least 11 people. So far, eight bodies have been recovered, but three individuals, including Arjun from Kerala, and his truck, are still missing. The strong current in the river poses a significant challenge to the retrieval efforts.
A special search operation, including the use of drones, was conducted on Thursday to locate the truck and the missing persons.
Experts felt that four metal objects might have landed in the river due to the landslide- roadside railings, an electric tower, the truck, and part of a tanker.
"We conducted a drone survey. One spot showed a strong metallic signature but the RF signature was not very strong. A second spot downstream exhibited a significant RF signature, suggesting it might be the truck's location. We will geo-tag the spot and provide coordinates to the district administration," explained Major General (Retd) Indrabalan, who is assisting at the request of the administration.
Wooden logs from Arjun’s truck were found about 500 meters downstream, supporting the theory that the truck is submerged nearby.
The truck is believed to be at a depth of 10 meters.
Deputy Commissioner Lakshmi Priya stated that the district administration is expected to receive the exact coordinates by Friday morning.
"This will help in confirming the truck's location. The next challenge is its retrieval. The river current is extremely strong. We will consult with Navy experts, and if the weather permits, we will continue the operation."
Meanwhile, MLA Sathish Sail, who has been supporting the operation from the beginning, assured that all possible efforts would be made to find the three missing individuals.
Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda posted an update about the search operation on his X account.
"Joint operations continued by the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, NDRF and SDRF. Ariel Search was done in the river and sea by Coast Guard Helicopter. Search was done along the riverbed through GPR. Search for missing persons was done by NDRF through mechanized boats. Operations were done in the river this morning with a Ferromagnetic Locator provided by CME Pune. Three distinct spots were identified. Focus is on locating the cabin of the truck to provide a decision point for the divers. The diving team dropped the sinker every hour but it did not hold due to strong currents which prevented diving," he posted.
