Tunnel Expert Who Helped Rescue 41 Trapped Men in Uttarkashi: Who is Arnold Dix?

After inspecting the site, Professor Dix spoke to the media and seemed optimistic about the rescue operation.

It’s been more than 11 days since 41 workers have been trapped in the collapsed Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in Uttarkashi since 12 November.

(Photo: PTI)

Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam

"I just want 41 men home to their families, and I don't want any of you hurt. My feeling is we are going to get that. My feeling is we are going to get 41 men home, and none of you guys hurt as well."

Arnold Dix, International tunneling expert on Uttarkashi tunnel rescue

It’s been more than 17 days since 41 workers have been trapped in the collapsed Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in Uttarkashi since 12 November.

Efforts are being made to rescue the workers who have been stuck in the 4.5km (3-mile) tunnel. The first images of the men trapped emerged on Tuesday, 21 November, showing them standing in a confined space and communicating with rescue workers. They have access to light, oxygen, food, water and medicines.

To get these 41 men out of this dire condition, international tunnelling expert Arnold Dix has been roped in, and he inspected the tunnel site on Monday, 20 November. After inspecting the site, Professor Dix spoke to media and seemed optimistic about the rescue operation.

"It is looking good but we have to decide whether it's good or a trap, because it's looking very positive. I have got the best experts for this Himalayan geology with me."

Professor Arnold Dix, President of International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association

"We are going back to the office to talk about what we've seen and we need to compare about what we have seen here above the tunnel with what we know about what is happening in the tunnel. This actually helps us make the proper decision because we are rescuing those 41 men and we are not letting anyone get hurt while we're doing that but to that, we need to be very careful," he added.

Who is Arnold Dix?

Arnold Dix is the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association president. He’s a recipient of the 2011 Alan Neyland Australasian Tunnelling Society bi-annual award for excellence in tunnelling.

His efforts in enhancing fire safety in tunnels have been recognised as groundbreaking.

More recently, in 2022, he was honoured with a Committee Service Award by the National Fire Protection Association of the United States of America, a testament to his continuous and valuable service in developing codes and standards for tunnel safety.

He has expertise in several complex areas: legal, political, ethical and technical risks and also environmental risks related to underground construction.

Qualified as a counselor and a scientist, Arnold Dix is a lawman registered as Barrister of the High Court of Australia. His path led him to engineering and underground construction world with multiple subtopics such as environment, science, law, ethics, security, climatic changes and managing of disasters.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Arnold completed his schooling from Haileybury, in the UK. He graduated from Monash University, Australia in combined geotechnical and engineering sciences with legal professional and corporate law law.