Shirur: The search for three individuals including Kozhikode native Arjun, who went missing during a landslide in Karnataka’s Ankola will resume on Friday. A dredger, brought in from Goa, will be deployed to the search site along the Gangavali River by 8:00 am to assist in the operation. The primary focus will be on the locations identified by the Navy, where the soil and stones will be cleared using the dredger.

The dredging machine, transported by tugboats across the sea, reached Karwar on Wednesday. However, due to high tide conditions, moving it to the river was delayed by one day.

The Karwar-based private agency handling the dredging operations quoted Rs 96 lakhs for the work. The district disaster management authority provided Rs 50 lakhs, and the Karnataka government covered the remaining amount. Earlier attempts to continue the search were hindered by adverse weather conditions and strong undercurrents in the river.

Arjun went missing on July 16 following a massive landslide on National Highway 66 near Shirur in Ankola. He was travelling from Karnataka to Kerala with a truckload of wood when the incident happened. It was suspected that Arjun was trapped inside the truck, which was buried under the mud that accumulated in the river after the landslide. However, despite extensive searches using various devices, the Uttara Kannada district authority has confirmed that no human presence has been detected in the area so far.