Aberfan: 50 years since disaster wiped out a generation

Fifty years ago, pupils at a South Wales primary school were sitting down to their last lesson before half term. Within minutes, more than a hundred of them were dead - buried alive by an avalanche of coal waste that swept through their village.

[@howard6769]

This shocking and very sad disaster happened on my 20th Birthday and I was working as a bricklayer in a town close by when we heard about this on the radio, so I immediately jumped on my motorbike and headed off to Aberfan where I spent my Birthday helping to recover those poor unfortunate children smothered in coal slurry. Later my workmates joined me as we worked through the night toiling with bloodied hands crying our eyes out. I emigrated to Australia the following year but returned to Wales in 2016 for the 50 year remembering service, one very sad Birthday I shall NEVER forget !

[@Spidey-2002]

God bless you sir

[@garethjones4346]

I always remember going there that evening to see if my grandparents were still alive. Luckily they were. Theirs was the last house standing on the left side of the school. Unfortunately I lost 2 cousins that day Kelvin and Malcom. God bless them. The images I saw that day are for ever imprinted in my mind. RIP

[@Fcutdlady]

So sorry for your loss. The ncb should have been held to a lot more responsibility then they were putting a coal tip over a water spring .

[@JulieWallis1963]

Gareth Jones nobody should have had to go through what you and your family went through. My heart breaks for all those lost children, Kelvin and Malcolm included. I was born in my 1963 and I grew up knowing of this horror. So sad, I suppose you should be grateful that your grandparents survived, little consultation though.

[@jwsuicides8095]

🙏

[@lydiawilsonknight828]

I'm 52. My 76yr Old Dad was there! He was with the RAF who had asked their Senior Officers at the time of said Disaster if they could go and help, they were refused. They went the next day anyways and helped to dig out the Children and those trapped! I'm SO VERY PROUD OF HIM TO HAVE HELPED BUT HEARTBROKEN FOR ALL CONCERNED XXXX He's carried those memories all his life, along with others X Love you Dad! XXXX

[@matthewprice2626]

God bless your dad.

[@Andre.1966]

I am a South African of Welsh maternal heritage living in China sitting in Starbucks watching this and sobbing... this really touched my heart.

[@teslashark]

Suffering! It's an universal language.

[@jeffreykrajchan6995]

How can it not.

[@usmale4915]

I'm 70 years of age, but I have never heard of this horrific tragedy! Maybe it's because I am from the USA. Thank you for the upload! I do sincerely hope that all that are deceased are resting in eternal sleep!

[@patriciaschuster1371]

I am American, and 16 at the time. I remember it well.

[@deniseeulert2503]

I'm also American and I remember this in the news because I was just the age of theses kids.

[@classicaldeb]

I too just discovered this horrific tragedy! I'm an American citizen @ 66 years young. How awful the NCB has never been made accountable! 😢

[@HighTen_Melanie]

Gaynor and Karen - sending much love and prayers to you and all the people of Aberfan ❤️

[@Aarontlondon]

I had never even heard of this disaster until I watched The Crown last night. RIP

[@Marie0575]

Me too.

[@beachbum2687]

Aaron are you from Aberdeen?

[@lin1038]

Same here...am watching it now..The Crown and I’m heartbroken 😭 what a tragedy!

[@crybaby373]

Same here, the crown truly is a history class, my heart bleeds for those children lost and their families 💔

[@candacethomas590]

Me neither until watching The Crown...So tragically sad...

[@SiVlog1989]

Me and my mother were in the valleys in the last week so that we could see the memorial garden in Aberfan ourselves. Even for me, born over 22 years after the disaster, I couldn't help but shed tears over both the sheer tragedy of 144 lives lost, 116 of which were children, but also the corporate greed by the NCB that both refused to accept responsibility for the disaster and was never held accountable for it. It was an injustice on an industrial scale

[@mariaroyval2753]

Just watched the episode on the The Crown. I am 56 years old and had never heard of this disaster either. I cannot imagine what these children went through, to think I was their age when it happened, unimaginable. I am an elementary teacher and I just can't imagine the helplessness of the teachers, they couldn't do anything to save these little ones. Very very sad my heart goes out to all who lived through this tragedy.

[@racheldemain1940]

Did your parents never tell you? I remember my Parents telling me about it first when I was old enough to know the basics. The worst part being that they were breaking up for half term that day.

[@maxwellfan55]

A reminder of this shocking event is essential, so that it is never forgotten, that the lessons learned are forever kept, and as that little boy so rightly said, you keep going.

[@gianpierocroci9451]

I'm from Aberdare and my Mam was in hospital that day because my Brother was born 4 days earlier...I went and visited Aberfan this year for the first time with my 17 year old son and brother...very moving and God Bless all....RIP....

[@liketheroman]

“Keep on going on” Yes! That little boy made me weep. He’s right, too.

[@poggzone4514]

i was born here, my mother was in the school on the otherside of the valley and watched this happen from her classroom, she had friends and neighbours in that school, its such a sad thing that happened

[@martinironfoot2844]

I only found out long after she’d passed away that my grandmother was in Aberfan either the day it happened or the days after assisting in some way as a nurse. I wish I could ask her questions to try and make sense of it all...❤️

[@nxrthy2298]

may their precious souls rest in peace

[@jewlzbulls]

wonderful documentary…. tremendously sad. God Bless those souls lost and those who remained behind with their grief

[@theoutsider4066]

I remember it well. It was aterrible, terrible tragedy that even after 54 years, still brings tears to my eyes.

[@wasteyelo1]

A beautiful tribute.

[@ianbennett1491]

Terrible . I was only 5 and don't remember this tragedy but I've read so much about it. I cannot imagine what it must have been like. RIP to all the victims of this disaster,and remembering all the people who did so much to save lives that day. Never forgotten. My thoughts to.the people of Aberfan. Iain Leeds Yorkshire England.

[@PLuMUK54]

An event that I will never forget. I was 12 years old and at my school in England. This was at a time when news travelled slowly. We knew nothing had happened. At lunchtime, I went home. There was a strange atmosphere. I saw people out and about as usual, but some were crying, and most looked unbelievably sad. It was rather frightening, and when I got home, I was not surprised to find mum and my Welsh grandma crying. They told me what had happened. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want lunch after that and went straight back to school. There, pupils were in groups. Someone had brought the news to the school. I'd never seen the school playground so quiet. Friends came to me to ask if it was true. There was a mixture of horror and disbelief. Until the end of the day, it was as if the whole school was on autopilot. We moved around the school almost silently. Staff were struggling to keep control of their emotions, many failing. Teachers tried to explain to us what had happened, but, looking back as a retired teacher myself, I can understand how they could not cope. At the end of the day, I remember more parents than usual waiting for their children. It's strange how some memories stick in the mind. I walked part way home with a group of friends. We were quieter than usual. Maybe it was the same at other schools, I don't know, but my school had a lot of Welsh teachers, and, like me, many pupils had Welsh family members. One of my most shocking memories is that it was the first time I had seen men cry. Back then, it was something that you never saw. One of my proudest achievements is that a poem that I wrote was selected for a memorial book of children's poems. All these years later, I can not think of any achievement that means as much to me. Over the years, I've experienced many tragedies, either secondhand, like 9/11, or personally, but none have the same effect as Aberfan. As I wrote this, tears streamed down my cheeks...

[@sandykenuk]

That's exactly how my day unfolded, I was also 12, and living in Manchester. I went this year to pay my respects. Very moving, even more so. Because I felt close to it, and always have.

[@Justwrestle129]

Thank you for the update! So sad, my prayers sent

[@tonycritcher3419]

I remember seeing this tragedy on the news as a boy and reported on blue peter. It was then that I wanted to go one day to show my respects to all those that lost their lives and appreciation for all those that dealt with the aftermath. I finally made it and without planning arrived the day after the 50th anniversary. So sad, avoidable, a waste and to think just a few hours later those children and staff would have been home having their tea with the holiday to look forward to. Rest in Peace all victims. This will never be forgotten neither will the relatives and rescuers nor the grief and efforts of all!

[@sandykenuk]

This year 2024, i finally did what i wanted to do, since this disaster happend. Im 70 now and was around the same age of the school children who perished that day. And i remember it as if it was yesterday. I was in class just like them, when our teacher was called out, about lunch time, she then came back in tears. She told us, then asked us to be silent for a minute. You could have heard a pin drop. All my life it did have an effect on me, even though we were miles away in Manchester. Im so glad i went with my wife, to pay my respects to all who suffered. It made me cry at the cemetery. But i dont regret going. I feel like i did the right thing for me to do. People dont relise the effect this had on people outside of aberfan. Especially in the uk. God bless all the people of aberfan. Im just one person who will always think of you.

[@paulinevanderwoning5706]

Should never ever be forgotten, rest in peace you beautiful souls

[@stevenmichaellewis5720]

56 years ago today we will never forget them may they all rest in peace..........

[@phaedracollins6051]

May all of those affected by this terrible event have found peace.

[@jacquettabanana]

It happened in the morning just after school started, not the last lesson. Bless them all & all the families involved.

[@vandalmeida.30.09]

Bless to all, from Brazil 🌷🙇‍♀️!

[@DiamanteDea]

This is so upsetting.

[@michaelreiver4555]

I remember Aberfan. The name now means only one thing sadly. I was 8 at the time at Primary School in Belfast. Aberfan was a disaster all children my age or older would remember if you lived in the UK. It was the biggest single disaster in the UK during the 1960’s. Two of our teachers were Welsh. I can only imagine their feelings at the time. A whole generation of children wiped out due to the failure of the Coal Board, to clear and make safe the slag heaps. The Coal Board also shamefully later tried to use some of the money raised from donations around the world for the village, to pay for the clearing of the slag heaps.

[@marilynsisk1733]

The coal board didn't try to use the donated money, they actually DID use it.

[@aquariusmarika]

I am watching The Crown series and I had to stop and search for it. It´s a horrific tragedy, I was shocked and my heart hurts for those parents and children.

[@albiehill5035]

I was only five years old when this disaster happened, but looking back years. after I am so sorry for the lives of the children and the teachers I’ve been to the cemetery to show my respects. God bless them 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿/🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Albie from Bristol..

[@MrJm323]

A 54 year old American here. I never heard of this story or "Aberfan" before. Tragic.

[@IrishAnnie]

MrJm323 I’m 65 and I remember this at age 12. Here in America, we watched it on the the tv. My mother was so upset.

[@jimmykouba4494]

I am 55 year old American. Like you never heard of Aberfan not even in our history classes did we learn of this tragedy.

[@jimmykouba4494]

@@IrishAnnie I'm 55 and don't remember hearing about this.

[@phileliot6034]

I remember. Absolutely heartbreaking

[@OWOT-re5jf]

Beautiful sounding choir

[@MrSaemichlaus]

With every disaster, our engineers get wiser. Some of the safety rules we sometimes dislike are written in blood. I'm becoming an engineer and we should remember these things and always pick our decisions with great care, not let a hurry or financial interests dictate our actions. A whole generation wiped out, terrible.

[@albecker2982]

Came here right after watching The Crown

[@ricarleite]

Same

[@CartePostale.]

For those of you unfamiliar with this tragedy, I urge you, if interested, to seek out additional information. I found that, although this video did say that the National Coal Board tried to avoid blame, they didn't explain that, although it had rain heavily, the slag heaps had been originally built on ground springs. They were built, higher & higher & any amount of rain (never mind heavy October downpours) would have added to the springs at the base of the slag heaps & it was going to happen at some time or other!! Although born a year later (& in another part of the U.K.) I remember the women in my family weeping anytime Aberfan was talked about. For those of you who are American, I lived about half of my life there & didn't hear about two dreadful U.S. school disasters until recently & I urge you to look them up online also. The first happened forty years before Aberfan (in 1928), in Bath Township, Michigan, perpetrated by Andrew Kehoe who actually bombed his own farm (& killed his wife) then drove to town where he blew up the school. The other was the New London school explosion, Texas, (1937) which turned out to be the worst school disaster in U.S. history!! Caused by a natural gas leak which had gone undetected for who knows how long & then ignited accidentally. The only good in the aftermath of this disaster was the addition of thiols (mercaptans) being added to gas & their strong odour now warns of gas leaks. This idea has spread almost worldwide & prevented, who knows how many deaths? As a world, I find it heartbreaking that, the loss of children, especially, does not unite us more in our grief. The children of Aberfan, Bath Township & New London will remain "forever young", although as a mother who has lost two children, I realise this brings little comfort. Having just past "Rememberance Day", it brings to mind the words of Laurence Binyon, "They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn: At the going down of the sun & in the morning, We will remember them."

[@sarahfox3959]

The natural spring ran through the slag heap at one time but as more and more was dumped the spring became buried. The workers knew the heap was moving, they'd witnessed large chunks breaking off but didn't report it as they also knew the NCB would shut down the mine if it was deemed unsafe, leaving the whole village out of work. They were trying to protect their community...

[@CartePostale.]

@@sarahfox3959 Good morning Sarah. What I did not want to mention was that although not Welsh myself, have family members who had a role to play in the Aberfan disaster. One trying to help prevent it, the other legally helping to obtain higher recompense for those affected by the disaster. One was an engineer for the Ordnance Survey which had warned the colliery (before he was even born) that they were building the slag heaps on top of underground streams clearly marked on Ordnance Survey maps, made years before.(Wikipedia states 1874). I have seen copies of the O.S. maps & the underground streams were, indeed, clearly marked. Even the local people were aware of them, only greed would make one blind to them. As for the miners having witnessed actual movement but not reporting it for fear of losing their jobs, I also know there is multiple records to the contrary. Mining put food on the table & housing rented to the villagers by the colliery, the people did indeed make multiple complaints to the council. Despite multiple letters & face to face meetings during early 1965 from the local council to the N.C.B. resulting in the latter agreeing to clear drainage ditches & clogged pipes. Nothing had been done by October 1966. Again all is stated clearly &, more importantly, correctly in Wiki!! Although miners are looked on as "working class" in the good old U.K., they work hard & in hard & dangerous conditions - miners are heroes. Due to the possibility of poisonous gas inhalation & gas explosions, miners have used various methods to keep themselves safe. Most famously, canaries, flame lamps, which extinguish in the absence of oxygen now, they have more modern electrochemical sensors to keep themselves safe (mainly CO, CO2, CH4 & H2S). However, they would never put their families at risk just to keep a job. The letters sent to the N.C.B. from the Merthyr Tidfyl Council were comprised of warnings of definite movement seen by the miners & reported by them were sadly entitled, "Danger from Coal Slurry being tipped at the rear of the Pantglas Schools". Sorry, for the long reply but Aberfan makes me at once, sad & angry. Without the greed of the N.C.B., 144 peolple, 116 of that number children, would be alive today. Aberfan was preventable. I am so glad you got in touch, Sarah! I pray no such sorrow has, or ever will touch your life.

[@sarahfox3959]

@@CartePostale.Yes you're right, multiple letters were sent warning of the danger, of what could happen, which were ignored but the workers did know the slag heap was moving and didn't report it for fear of the mine closing, fact. They never dreamed it would reach the village. Those doing the dumping were spat at in the street after the disaster. However, the NCB already knew about the springs and the danger from the height of the slag heaps but did nothing, as you said, out of greed. They denied all knowledge after the disaster, a move I can't understand considering their existence was well documented. I was young when the disaster happened, too young to be emotionally effected but I remember how upset those around me were.

[@jimmykouba4494]

Beautiful remembrance to the 144 souls that perished on that fateful day. RIP dear angels.

[@firequeen7872]

I only heard of this tragedy because I watched the Netflix series “The Crown” much respect and love to the survivors, victims, and their families. Watching - and learning from NZ

[@apolonioramon7089]

It is such a sad story n nobody held accountable.This is why this disasters never stop happening.Bless the innocent children n may they rest in peace.

[@joannandongangoue9326]

A story of great injustice indeed!!!

[@Marie0575]

This tragedy is well documented but how come not so many around the world know about it😔R.I.P to the victims.

[@ruthford3193]

I remember this I was ten at the time I was so upset my mum came from near here I thought at the time how frighten I would have been

[@jeffreykrajchan6995]

I remember when this happened with my welsh mother at me being 10 years old and mum saying if there is truly a god how could this happen , and I lost my faith in god that day

[@jfhow]

It wasn't God who mined the coal and left the spoil tips where they could wash down onto the village.

[@Elfsinger]

@@jfhow Yes...but possibly God could have made it happen 1 hour earlier or 3 hours later when the children weren't in school...I don't know.

[@naomilee8864]

Oh yes, let's blame God for human stupidity.

[@nabihahabibullah1577]

For sure, everything happens is in God's Knowledge. God might punish sinners after decades of injustice and vices and long time of leading joyful sinful life. Sometimes, disasters reveal human errors and cheating so the next generation might learn a lesson to avoid such disasters. When innocent people doomed as children their fate in the after death life will be better than this cheap life. May God have His Mercy on their souls.🌹

[@daria5846]

Naomi Lee He has the right to feel this way.

[@ruthie504]

I remember watching the reports about it on the TV as a seven year old even at that age it was so upsetting, something you can never forgetting seeing.

[@jbeaupre1800]

Heart breaking.

[@barbararichards8421]

Just watched this on the crown unbelievably sad! I remember mom and dad talking about this as moms family were miners, my dads family are all welsh and they would always talk about this and say how bad it was and how the coal board was to blame.

[@KathleenGotdon]

This must of been horrendous and I'd never heard of it till about 3 years ago

[@caroletraynor8763]

I remember this, it's so sad.

[@gracieb81]

the crown is the reason i’m now learning about this heartbreaking event.

[@jeaninewhite1845]

Me too Grace. So so sad.

[@viamedia2704]

The same year, the tailings dam of the lead-zinc mine above the Bulgarian village of Zgorigrad fell apart. The poisonous mudslide practically razed the village to the ground and destroyed parts of the nearby city of Vratsa. 107 people died by official estimates, but independent estimates put the death count at above 500. A similar tragedy happened in Trentino in Italy in 1985, killing another 260 people. Seemingly some lessons weren't learned. RIP everyone who lost their life in such a horrible way.

[@ciaseapower]

Soooo much children that is lost! What a disaster...

[@andrewbutler6477]

My late dad was involved with the rescue of the children from pantglas school ot deeply affected him all his life been to aberfan many times so moving visiting the momorial at aberfan near Merthyr Tydfil my home town 💔🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@rogerk6352]

i REMEMBER ALL WOMEN ON STREET IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COMING TO OUR HOUSE CRYING ALL FRIENDS OF MY MOTHER

[@jamesshunt5123]

It's really sad because in a village of merely 5000 people (in 1966) such a disaster will forever leave its mark. 144 dead in the disaster is 3% dead. Can you imagine 3% losing their lives in a city of 1 million people? That would be 30,000 dead. For London such a percentage would be 300,000. Do you understand now how horrible this was to the people of Aberfan? Everybody knew somebody who lost their child so every single inhabitant was scarred. I'm glad there's a new generation of children growing up in Aberfan. This means that life will go on.

[@terrythomas1329]

It feels disrespectful to "like" this video. RIP all the victims.

[@papaalphamike]

my father's home town was in the next valley (New Tredegar) God Bless

[@lukebelecco]

God bless.

[@jeffreykrajchan6995]

God?

[@lisatinbliki5691]

The Crown brought me here.

[@alvarochavez7729]

It brought us too. Something really really sad.

[@michaelwalton9528]

scandalous ow the country never seem to remember these poor people...rip

[@melodiclogic9904]

People remember terrorist attacks, knife crimes, but not devastating tragedies like this one.

[@annmitchell4663]

Ppl.who are of a certain age remember it..?

[@kuratcha2843]

R.i.p to the victims💙🙏🥺

[@chickapey]

The National Coal board still has blood on their hands

[@mistieblue9]

Incredibly sad! I didn’t know nothing about it! Since that I watched The Crown! A lot of people knew but no one did nothing until it happened. R.I.P. God save The Queen! But no one save them either like no one save Lady Diana Spencer! R.I.P.

[@rosiesrusticrosie8565]

Mae yr calon fi yn fund Allan ir pobol Aberfan

[@davidsaxon1776]

We will remember them

[@Soraviel]

so sad =(

[@martincook318]

I am 63 on December 22nd and I well Remember Aberfan I was to young to Understand what happened on that Friday but when I saw the old film 50 year's later I was shocked and nothing like that must never be allowed to happen again and it's the same old story nothing gets done till it's too late and it's same as Grenfell Tower 51 years later and I still shudder everytime I think about it and it looked like Something from the film the towering inferno and thank God that My landlord Accord Housing do not own a High rise block as most of them are lethal Death traps but saying that there are three that have been taken over by the tenants in Bloxwich and they are Beautiful but saying that it still won't alter my opinion on those Places

[@apiwe]

What song is the choir singing in the video?

[@caiojones8908]

My Hart is broken for those children

[@robnewman6101]

How Tragic!

[@waldena2851]

United

[@neiledmonds2351]

I visited here as a kid saw the graves and the garden

[@Ettibridget]

Was anyone held accountable for this or was it "just" a tragic accident?

[@terrythomas1329]

To add to my previous comment - "journalists" ask stupid and insensitive questions at times.

[@MarjaHans]

That’s why I don’t believe... all those innocent people...

[@futuristica1710]

Only if you believe God is a puppeteer. Of course they were innocent.

[@phillcotterill6264]

Stop stopping the video for heavens sake

[@elizabetharmada5335]

ano po yung umagos sa bundok?

[@marilynsisk1733]

Coal slag and slurry

[@dylaneditorchannel8411]

Hwyl fawr, plant cael bywyd gwell.

[@smithpm81]

the government cover up disgusts me to this day, rest in peace all those who died

[@Marie0575]

Was the school rebuit at the same sight? Anyone know?

[@cymaz100]

No, it’s a garden of remembrance

[@TheAlmaward]

It was a tragedy, yes, but it did not "wipe out a generation." More children were rescued (145) than died (114). Any child's death is awful, but can we please be accurate in describing the overall event? Words have meanings.

[@TomBartram-b1c]

Trist iawn.

[@mrparkerdan]

QEII didn't care, she stayed in her luxurious palace, drinking tea and eating crumpets. 😡

[@Nick-mm5ml]

coal board liars God be with all famalies of the lost but saved in Jesus name.

[@sumtingwog1273]

Never heard of this tragedy. Rest In Peace Epstein didn’t kill himself