Helicopter hasn't taken off due to adverse weather conditions, says UT Khader

Mangaluru: Congress MLA UT Khadar on Tuesday informed that the helicopter that was supposed to come from Kochi for rescue hasn’t taken off due to adverse weather conditions.

Addressing pressperson Khader said, “Even if the helicopter takes off now, we don’t have much time before daylight ends. We are seeing if search operations can continue through the night because 24-36 hours is crucial.”

Meanwhile, teams of National Disaster Response Force, Coast Guard, Home Guard, fire services and coastal police have been pressed into service to trace Siddhartha.

Local fisherman, along with their boats, have also joined in the search operations.

Coffee Day founder and son-in-law of former chief minister S M Krishna, Siddharth Hegde is reported to have gone missing from near Nethravathi bridge here on Monday late night.

It is learnt that Siddharth had stepped out of his Innova car for a stroll after instructing his driver to park the car near Nethravathi bridge, however, he was not to be seen later.

Meanwhile, rumours of him having committed suicide by jumping into the river started doing the rounds as police personnel began a search operation here. The police, however, have not confirmed the same.