Arnold Dix: Farmer, lawyer and man behind Uttarkashi tunnel rescue
The 17-day-long operation to rescue 41 workers trapped inside Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel came to a successful end late on Tuesday. An integral part of the mission was Arnold Dix, an Australian tunneling expert and lawyer who was roped in to assist the operation on November 20. Dix is the President of the International Tunneling and Underground Space Association, based in Geneva, and is known for tackling legal, environmental, political, and ethical challenges in underground construction.
All 41 workers rescued, none critical
The 41 workers were trapped when a portion of the 4.5km under-construction Silkyara tunnel, part of the Char Dham all-weather road project in Uttarakhand, collapsed on November 12. While none of the workers are critical, their mental and physical well-being continues to be of concern since they were trapped without proper food, ventilation, or sunlight for days. As the whole nation rejoiced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the workers, who were rescued from the rubble on Tuesday.
Here's what we know about his career
Hailing from the Australian town of Monbulk, Dix has over 30 years of experience in underground safety. He also has a Science and Law degree from Monash University in Melbourne and is an "accomplished lawyer" specializing in legal, scientific, or engineering approaches. Between 2016 and 2019, he volunteered at the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), where he helped develop response strategies for underground incidents. In 2020, he co-founded Underground Works Chambers, offering technical and regulatory solutions to complex underground challenges.
Emotional as trapped workers walked out of rubble
As rat-hole mining experts dug through the last few meters of debris, Dix praised the progress as "fantastic" and credited the plasma cutter for speeding up the process of cutting parts of the auger stuck in the rubble. He said, "In the end, we did this 100 millimeters at a time, using people's hands to gently excavate rock to build a tunnel through the avalanche." Dix confessed that he cried as the trapped laborers walked out of the tunnel.
Dix is an ordinary flower farmer back home
Back in his hometown of Monbulk, Dix is an ordinary flower farmer. "The only thing that worries me is normally in Monbulk no one knows what I do. I just grow flowers like everyone else in Monbulk - probably least successfully than everybody else," he quipped. While Dix now "only wants to return home," he underscored that he felt immense joy, as a parent himself, to see trapped construction workers reuniting with their parents.
Dix's valuable lesson
Speaking in the aftermath of the rescue operation, he said, "The mountain has told us one thing, that is to be humble." He also told Sky News, "I think it's a real testament to what decent human beings do and can do when they're motivated for all the right reasons."
Dix returns to makeshift temple to say 'Thank You'
In the wee hours of Wednesday, Dix told reporters that he was returning to the makeshift temple outside the tunnel to express his gratitude to the almighty. Earlier, he had joined local spiritual leaders in praying for the safe evacuation of the trapped construction workers. Terming the rescue as a "miracle," he said, "Remember I had said 41 people (will be) home, and no one gets hurt, by Christmas. Christmas is coming early."
