Britainupdated 1h ago2 min read
King Charles Leads Aberfan Tributes as Coal Tip Collapse Kills 116 Children, 28 Adults
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60th anniversary observed; disaster killed 116 children and 28 adults in 1966. King Charles III, Queen Camilla and Prince William attended Aberfan ceremonies.
Aberfan 60th Anniversary
King Charles III led tributes in Aberfan on the 60th anniversary of the coal tip collapse that engulfed Pantglas Junior School and nearby houses, killing 116 children and 28 adults. Charles described the disaster as “the saddest and most tragic of days imaginable” during an address to those gathered in the community centre. Prince William joined Charles and Queen Camilla to lay wreaths in the Aberfan Memorial Garden, located on the site of the school, and the royals marked the moment with a minute’s silence at 09:15 BST.
The BBC said the coal waste came thundering down after the colliery spoil tip collapsed on 21 October 1966, and the BBC reported that 150,000 tonnes of coal waste slid onto the village. The AOL.co.uk account said Charles, Camilla and William laid wreaths for Pantas Junior School, which it said was crushed by 1.5 million cubic feet of liquefied slurry.
Voices of Survivors
Jeff Edwards, who survived the disaster as an eight-year-old pupil, thanked the royal family for their “enduring support, compassion and commitment” in a speech at the community centre. Charles told survivors and bereaved families that “We have heard stories of heartbreak, but also of heroism” while visiting the Aberfan Memorial Garden. Diane Thomas, 78, a rescuer from the Red Cross who was only 18 at the time of the disaster, told the BBC that “The chapel had been converted into a mortuary so I spent three nights in the mortuary, bathing the children”.
Professor Iain McLean, speaking on the BBC Radio Wales Phone In, questioned why nobody was ever prosecuted and said: “to me, incomprehensible failure to sack Lord Robens and his senior directors.” The BBC reported that an official inquiry found the National Coal Board was responsible for the disaster, but no-one has ever been prosecuted.
What Comes Next
The royals’ visit included a memorial garden ceremony and a wreath-laying at the Aberfan Memorial Garden, with the BBC reporting that the King and the Prince of Wales laid wreaths and a posy was laid with the last surviving teacher.
Prince William unveiled the Aberfan Memorial Tree, a sculpture meant to provide a permanent place for pupils, aged three to 11, families and visitors to remember the victims and reflect on the lasting impact of the tragedy.
The BBC reported that church bells rang 144 times for each child and adult who died, and the BBC said pupils at Ynysowen Community Primary School gathered to pay their respects.
The BBC said the 1967 official inquiry blamed the National Coal Board, and the BBC reported that survivors and bereaved families have long pointed to a litany of injustices including limited compensation and minimal support for trauma.
The AOL.co.uk account said William spoke to Diane Thomas in the library and that she told the royals, “They've got an empathy. Prince William's lost a mum, he knows what grief is” as the anniversary marked the community’s enduring remembrance.