The Aberfan Disaster: One of the UK's Worst Disasters

[@Davey-Boyd]

This disaster killed a whole generation of this village. There is still a generation gap in in the population there due to all the children killed. My grandfather was working on this day in a coal mine in the next valley in Penybryn. He was a part of the mine emergency rescue team. Within hours of the disaster he was on scene trying to dig out those lost. My whole family were devastated, not from personal loss but the callousness of the NCB (National Coal Board). I was born this year of the disaster (1966). My family vowed I would never work in the mines this day. I was the first male of my family never to work in a coal mine. I was the first ever to get the chance to go to university or any other 'advanced' education. I ended up working for international aid agencies in disaster relief. Though Aberfan was the year I was born, it shaped my family, our thinking and my life. Bless every person who died, suffered or lost loved ones that day. Shame on the NCB and government that tried to hide their utter contempt for the working people and the literal murder of children.

[@franceskronenwett3539]

Well said. I share your opinion. A real slap in the face of those who had lost their children. All those responsible should be ashamed of themselves.

[@christycullen2355]

This brought tears to my eyes. So well said

[@howellgreenland2506]

My mother lived in a neighbouring village at the time & although at the time only a child of 10 remembered the eventl. Interestingly enough, today I heard on BBC Radio 4 that some 55 years after the catastrophe only recently & yet unpublished information has been gathered regarding all the other slag heaps presently residing above other Welsh villages & towns & the risks of each one will be published in the New Year. Increased rainfall due to climate change predictions will also be modelled. It was reported that although these were originally created by the National Coal Board, since devolution to some level of self governance of Wales, the present UK Gov have only given £9M prior to devolution & now see the £Multi-billion & 10 year possible make-safe-the-most-at-risk-sites as a Welsh problem. No doubt other current or ex-mining communities around the globe may have similar lessons to learn from this tragic event & potential time bomb.

[@JaricDesann]

I was born in ‘85 in Llanbradach the next valley over. My family is all Coal Board - the after affects of this tragedy are still being felt. All in the name of England and King Coal.

[@Davey-Boyd]

@@howellgreenland2506 Very interesting, thank you.

[@thomasjones2611]

Hats off to Simon for handling this topic with the greatest respect for the victims involved in this horrific tragic event. 🙏

[@IntotheShadows]

No other way to do it in my opinion. I don't want this to be a disaster-porn channel. It's education, and hopefully we'll all learn something :).

[@StoneBuzzard]

What else was he supposed to do? "That concludes another Silly Willy Wideo Will!"

[@SkunkApe407]

@@StoneBuzzard have you never watched a news broadcast? News anchors regularly read stories like this with almost no emotion, or they do so with a stupid, plastic smile plastered on their faces. So-called documentarians regularly produce pieces on subjects such as this, and lace them with political bias. There are a great many ways that this story could be covered.

[@maradjade1848]

I doubt you will read this but if you do thank you for covering this one it must have been devastating for you to cover sence you are a parent. I don't have kids and I am crying as I write this so I can't imagine how hard this one was for you . ​@@IntotheShadows

[@matphillips5639]

I deliver to Aberfan weekly and on one occasion there was a thunder storm and an elderly couple would not answer the door... a week later they apologised and said when they here loud noise they are terrified.... it brought me to tears to witness this first hand ....

[@fraserwood2600]

I too was 7 years old and I remember Dad watching the news and crying. This was the only time I ever saw Dad cry over non family affairs. Years later I visited Aberfan and walked the memorial garden, planted over the footprint of the foundations of the school and I too cried.

[@arianbyw3819]

It freaks me out that the memorial garden is on TripAdvisor. It's not ducking entertainment people! And believe it or not, there having been complaints from tourists about parking. I can't even!

[@chiefslinginbeef3641]

@@arianbyw3819 So noone should know about it if never taught. Well done.

[@arianbyw3819]

@@chiefslinginbeef3641 newspapers, tv, the internet. You can be self taught.

[@Goldenkitten1]

@@arianbyw3819 It happened 55 years ago in a small village few people know about. You can't ask every person in existence to know about every tragedy that has ever occurred, especially if they aren't from the country. It's teaching people about an abhorrent corporate greed and how the government let them get away with it, I don't see how that's a bad thing especially as it brings attention to the fact that all parties STILL refuse to take blame.

[@arianbyw3819]

@@Goldenkitten1 I don't expect people to know about every disaster, far from it. I think though, that people go there for entertainment than education. Mostly. There are those who are respectful, but in the main, the visitors go to take selfies, not wonder why the authorities failed to act. Just like those who go to visit death camps in Germany. I bet the people who visit Aberfan don't surf the net to find out about senghenydd (mining disaster) or realise there are over 50 coal tips in the area still on the danger list too.

[@pansprayers]

My biological father was is a federal mine inspector in the US. This disaster is still used in his training courses for why safety is so important. This had an impact on policy all the way in America.

[@IrishMike22]

What if there were federal yours inspectors...🤔

[@DneilB007]

It’s also used in Canadian disaster training courses.

[@zeroeffect9557]

That's really interesting. I'm from the valleys myself, and always wondered how far this story had travelled. X

[@69belhaven]

Yet we have the Bob Murray's of the world still facing no consequences when mine collapses happen that kill people. So much yet so little changes over time.

[@darthdooku6246]

Safety Regulations are often written in blood

[@athena8794]

To make it worse, in the early days, the Disaster Relief Fund guys were making parents prove they were "close" to their dead kids before paying out benefits. You can imagine how well that went over.

[@RCAvhstape]

I'm kind of surprised there were no revenge activities among the parents of the lost children.

[@MissFetishable]

@@RCAvhstape that was my first thought. If some greedy scumbags would cause my children's life I would not rest until that whole board is dead... no amount of money would help me to calm down. 10k probably would make me even more angry..

[@RCAvhstape]

@@MissFetishable 10k can buy a lot of ammo.

[@collincovid6950]

Vile. It was not enough that the coal board created a disaster waiting to happen by creating a slag heap but then attack the parents, and the government of the day, and following governments, washed their hands of the disaster. Now grave stones need re-securing, the last time I was there, and the council has put yellow tape, but not interested in having anyone fix them

[@18Alpine]

I have no words.

[@katiebryant6063]

I grew up here! Long after the disaster, but alongside survivors who remember being pulled from the wreck and family members who are still grieving the loss of their loved ones! It’s a profound feeling of loss and anger the permeates every aspect of the community! The coal tip is now long gone but there’s still a very eerie silence around the place!

[@jo77183]

My family is from a mining village in Yorkshire and some of us still cry for yours. Rage and despair about how those people were treated.

[@collincovid6950]

Agree and the damn council should allow re-securing of grave stones

[@johnsuffill6520]

This occurred just 3 days before my 7th birthday. I watched the news that day and imagined what it would have been like to have my school smothered by a slag heap like that. An image I remember even now when I am nearly 62. There are tears running down my cheeks now, thinking about the children that should have had full lives in front of them, killed by corporate incompetence.

[@collincovid6950]

Never forgotten the scene

[@paulstewart6293]

Me too.

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

Not so much incompetence, but greed.

[@theeggtimertictic1136]

Willful negligence.

[@MrJjones543]

I'm really glad he didn't do his usual, "I'm not going to ask if you enjoyed that" when it comes to darker stuff. I'm glad he just let it end.

[@SEAZNDragon]

Hell the fact it was a fade to black with no outro makes it hit harder

[@StefanMedici]

I like the fact Simon just walks off at the end as it fades, like he needs to go have a shower. It's a feeling he's not alone in.

[@RobDucharme]

@@StefanMedici Exactly how I saw it. I feel like the moments after the fade, he probably had to shout something obscene. There was a tone of disgust in how he described the lack of accountability by the company. He nailed it.

[@svengalt9546]

But did you?

[@Tirani2]

I am more and more appreciating, as I get into the darker stuff, his habit of not asking that on the hard ones. There is something appropriate about just letting it fade to black on an empty chair on certain episodes.

[@NobletheSavage]

With this video and your equally heart breaking video on the Hillsborough tragedy , you really do show your range as a presenter . Brilliant work Simon and the team . Thank you for giving these horrible circumstances the tone they deserve . Rest in peace you little angels.

[@TheDoodleChicken8219]

Where is his video on Hillsborough tragedy at?

[@siobhan-rae]

@@TheDoodleChicken8219 kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIaWpaSkgbV0eqc

[@paulfriar9952]

He's got a Hillsborough video? Anyone got a link?

[@Boe-Temeraire]

It really makes me so incredibly, indescribably sad to think of all those people that died. Especially the kids. I was born well after this disaster but I still feel an incredible grief at the thought of this.

[@jamesmeppler6375]

At first I was like what happened? But it slowly dawned on me....so sad something bad had to happen before things were changed... Close the mine and the town goes with it...better they move than to die. Not taking care of their mine made the mind close.. So sad....I can only hope I can be helpful if something like this happens where I live

[@dave_n8pu]

I was alive before this happened, living in the USA, I was in high school, if anything was mentioned in the media about "The Aberfan Disaster", I don't remember hearing about it. Defiantly is sad what happened and as Simon describe typical example of corporate greed and denial.

[@HavianEla]

Child deaths are always especially grim. (I love your icon, by the way - what’s your branch of asexuality?)

[@Boe-Temeraire]

@@HavianEla thanks! I’m still figuring out where I am on the ace spectrum!

[@fabricdragon]

@@Boe-Temeraire as a fellow ace... it can take a bit, and it can also shift around. depending on how i think about it i am a grey ace or a demisexual. In the end the only need to figure out the "fine points" is to help you, and anyone you are in a relationship with, figure out what works for you.

[@malahammer]

I was 9 years old in 1966 and remember this so vividly. My class were of the same age as some of these children and we lived in Ireland. Most children of this age at this time everywhere in Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland were deeply affected by this horrible tragedy. Well done Simon for highlighting this again. Aberfan should never be forgotten.

[@aaaaaaaaaaa1566]

Aberfan will never be forgotten by my generation and the generations that come after mine growing up in the Welsh valleys and still being there hearing about the disaster by my mother when I was old enough to understand broke my heart those poor souls.

[@malahammer]

@@ezicarus8216 what kind twisted gooner are you! Now go away,

[@Jash0192]

I'm welsh and this still gets talked about yearly in our house. This effected my mother greatly when she was a child to the point where she used to have nightmares and difficulties in school. To the point her way of healing was to raise money by taking my grandads bucket up and down our village to help those that were in harm.

[@sethrivers5303]

This one always hits me hard. My grandparents were all teachers; my parents and aunts and uncles are the same age as the students of Pantglas Junior School. I grew up in the age of school shootings but this sort of industrial disaster is a whole different level of horror.

[@blueberrypirate3601]

Why? asked so many for years afterwards.

[@jasonbailey1951]

Perfect conclusion. No masquerade, no show other than a show of remembrance. Simon....you are becoming, if not already, a master of storytelling. Simon is able to tell the emotion in the story, right along with the hard facts. No pulling punches. No loss of compassion. Just pure story told by a master.

[@Darkflowerchyld718]

As an American born in '87 I'd never heard of this. Watching it play out on The Crown was the first time I'd ever seen a thing about it. Thank you for putting the story out so more can learn from it.

[@theinsidiouschicken4716]

My mother was 11 at the time and lived in Merthyr Tydfil, she doesn't like to talk about it.

[@RainbowTyrant]

That's where I know it from. I kept thinking I watched a series with this event in it.

[@aaaaaaaaaaa1566]

@@theinsidiouschicken4716 my parents don't like talking about it either.

[@simonjackson7269]

My son worked on The Crown episode that covered the disaster... it was filmed in a neighbouring village and was handled with great care and respect, both on screen and on location... he said the atmosphere around the location was totally different to any other production he worked on...

[@carlgriffiths8482]

I live in the village and it was handled so well and great respect by the Netflix team and the cast and crew I've got to say

[@Rich6Brew]

I visited Aberfan in July of this year, and even though the three people that I spoke to (to ask directions) were very friendly and helpful, I still felt like an intruder.

[@howellgreenland2506]

@@Rich6Brew I applaud your respect, but surely if you had to ask Three people for directions, then at least the first two had a sense of humour & the third some compassion. Or maybe they all told you the correct way, however, they possibly constructed their sentences in a different order than that you are familiar with.

[@JaricDesann]

It’s a really hard episode to watch - it’s very clear from the presentation that they took this serious.

[@Stettafire]

@@howellgreenland2506 Don't be a dick

[@gavinjones3637]

Thank you Simon, for covering this topic with such sensitivity. I was born not far from Aberfan, a year earlier and grew up in the shadow of this tragedy, while living in the shadow of the world's second biggest, man made mountain, Aberbargoed tip (since lowered, landscaped and stabilised, fifteen years later). Aberfan is a tragedy still remembered every year, by those of us from the Welsh mining valleys and which weighs heavy in our hearts and minds to this day.

[@lauren9667]

We in West Virginia understand and empathize with the residents of Aberfam. Slurry pits have broken open, fouling the ground water. Brown/black sludge comes out of the faucets. And some people refused the offer of free bottled water because they feared retribution from the coal company. This was in the 21st century, not in the 1800s when coal was king and the company store owned the miners. Greed has no nationality, no soul.

[@kevinrussell2718]

My two sisters were teenagers at the time of the Aberfan Disaster, and they organised a fund-raising collection of my local area to raise funds for the families of the children lost in the disaster. When they went to City Hall to hand the donations in, the Lord Mayor was so moved by the local generosity and the enterprise and compassion of the two girls that he immediately launched a Lord Mayor's Appeal to raise even more donations. To find that the NCB refused to take financial responsibility for the disaster - instead using the appeal funds to pay for remedial work - would have grated enormously those who'd raised money and donated in good faith that their money would go to the families.

[@russellfitzpatrick503]

That the government of Harold Wilson could've stepped in, and stopped that heinous act being performed, yet didn't is a damnation on the government at the time

[@falconeshield]

@@russellfitzpatrick503 Harold Wilson was a monster.

[@rjleatherworks]

I really love how you close out the videos for this channel. It fits the mood and finalizes the video in such a fitting way. Thank you and your team for what you guys do. Keep it up fact boy.

[@criticalmass2969]

Much agreed.

[@not-a-raccoon]

The fact that nobody was held responsible is not surprising, but still absolutely criminal..

[@collincovid6950]

That is central government for you, and still no different. Charges should have been brought

[@meikaku]

I see The Crown ... and a question in head ... who is resposable?... the family they recive justice... nobody was responsable no trial no...

[@Stettafire]

@@meikaku No family recieved justice and the coal firm was responsible

[@falconeshield]

@@Stettafire Why df didn't the families kill them. One meeting and locked doors.

[@_Ben4810]

It was not a firm. NCB was a wholly-owned & controlled government industry board...

[@SJ-ou9xs]

This awful tragedy haunts my hometown. My grandmother lived a few streets over and her next door neighbours children never came home that day. On October the 21st at 9.15am our school (and probably most in the area) made sure we did a minutes silence to remember thoes 116 children and 28 adults that never came home. Thank you Simon for this video, this atrocitiy needs to be remebered. Paid the price of coal with the lives of children. Cofiwch Aberfan ❤

[@SunnyN6000]

I remember this. It was a big story. I say this because I was very young and lived in Kansas at the time. It was the first time I felt grief for people who I was unaware of and then suddenly I was crying for them. My grandmother was very good about it she spoke with me and we made cards ♥ and prayed .Not something my family did on the daily. I think it was the first time I realized how fragile life is.

[@045BAYSIDE]

I'm a Welsh woman and a longtime fan of yours, Simon. I happened to find this video via your Casual Criminalist channel. This event has truly shaped generations across the country and I appreciate the respect you had during this entire episode.

[@Tokyty]

I live a valley over, my grandfather was helping dig for days, the photos I've seen of him there are absolutely haunting!!! Cymru am byth

[@grumpyratt2163]

Both my grandfather's rushed from work at Bargoed pit to help it haunted them. CYMRU AM BYTH

[@malpas182]

Same my grandfather travelled from tonypandy pit to go dig.

[@Davey-Boyd]

My grandfather came over from the pit in Penybryn with his fellow miners. I can't recall the name of the mine though. It devastated our family. My mum was 17, and I was born that year.

[@GuntherRommel]

Brain Blaze, Casual Criminalist, Into the Shadows. The TRUE Whistler Trifecta. Love the tone of the new channel, Simon.

[@COBALTCOVERT]

That's his newest Trilogy. TopTenz,TIFO, and Biographics is a behemoth in it's own right. Regardless of whichever one likes, Simon is a great Orator.

[@jeffersonott4357]

Yes.

[@IntotheShadows]

Thank you :)

[@GuntherRommel]

@@IntotheShadows No, thank you. I'm honestly fucking astonished you don't have Patreon, Simon. You live in Prague- no way there's enough cockroaches in that basement for Danny, Sam, AND Callum.

[@francleo2002]

Brilliant episode. Delivered by a true gentleman. I have never seen Simon so pissed-off, disappointed, and so upset, at the end of any other of his presentations. he has every reason in the world for this...

[@Mrmuffin944]

Being from Merthyr, my grandpa remembers not being allowed to play outside after this in order not to upset the people who had lost their children. My other grandpa, coming from a mining family, remembers his dad traveling to here to help remove rubble (after the rescue effort due to the distance)

[@theeggtimertictic1136]

Yes I imagined this would be the case ... So many knock on effects and far reaching ripples.

[@briarrose8154]

Can you cover the Sewol Ferry disaster? I’d love to hear your take on how corporate greed, government ineptitude, & ingrained hierarchical societal beliefs lead to the death of hundreds of kids on a school trip & the eventual impeachment of the president. It’s a fascinating even that is still rippling through South Korea but no one ever talks about it

[@KamikazeChrista]

I would like an episode about that too. I always found it hard to sift through the information to decide which part of this was utter incompetence, reclessness, lack of regulation and bad intention. The whole situation was such a mess and cost so many people their lifes for no good reason. What a tragedy.

[@johnstudd4245]

@@KamikazeChrista I to have been amazed at that disaster. The level of cowardice, stupidity, greed, callousness, dereliction of duty, plus your above mentioned adjectives and about another half of dozen or more that I can't think of right now. Just boggles the mind that something like that could happen in this day and age, on so many different levels. Just hard to wrap your mind around it. All those young lives lost in such horrible circumstances.

[@SevCaswell]

As well as that I'd like this team's take on the Costa Concordia disaster, as I never fully understood what or why it happened.

[@helenroberts430]

There are still slag heaps that are unstable in the Rhondda to this day that are slipping... Greed before safety still haunts the valleys

[@tonyburzio4107]

And yet, who sited the school at the bottom of a slag run?

[@Richardt95]

This is a couple miles up the valley from me and it’s remembered every year 😔❤️

[@Tokyty]

❤

[@tanyaabram8336]

😔

[@beverleybee1309]

I was nine months old at the time and living in Germany. It saddens me greatly that changes rarely happens until a great many deaths or someone very important dies. Into the Shadows is turning out to be very important. Thank you, Simon.

[@Miss-Anne-Thrope]

I live near Aberfan and I know that this tragedy hasn't been forgotten nor will it be; the mine has long closed but the wounds haven't. Thanks for covering this, it's not really known about outside of Wales. ❤

[@kitop310]

As another American, born in '87, I'd never heard of this disaster either. Thank you for bringing this story to my attention, and for doing so in a way that shows such respect to the victims. I'm a big fan of Simon's various styles. (OGBB. TIFO. MP/SP. Etc.) First time finding this channel though. You can tell that this story is hitting hard, no doubt thinking about his own kids. Excellent work Mr. Whistler. Hat's off to you. And yes, I too enjoy the ending: just letting the words hang.

[@JanStrojil]

I knew this one was going to be heavy when Simon said he looked up the pronunciation. Kudos on tackling such a tragic story with the respect and gravity it deserves. Left me shaken to the bone, can’t even imagine the tragedy and the helplessness that followed. 😔

[@paigelarrabee3143]

How insane that the deaths and Trauma inflicted on these children was never accounded for. They made a memorial and called it a day. I hope the survivors eventually got the help they needed and so did the families that lost precious little ones. RIP

[@lily.cosette]

i live about 20 minutes from aberfan and my great grandfather was one of the first doctors volinteraly on scene o help families identify the bodies of the children pulled from the school. he only ever spoke to me about it once but my granny, his daughter, used to tell me how she remembers all the sirens rushing past her school and the teachers informing them they would have to leave school early. that night her father came home at nearly midnight and she said she heard him sobbing in their bathroom. they went down for breakfast in the morning and his eyes were red raw from crying as he left to return to aberfan to continue his rescue attempts and he nearly never spoke about it again. the whole country was traumatised and heartbroken.

[@g0r-g0r-s6o]

My grandad was one of the police officers bought in for the recovery. Of all the things he did in his life this was the one that effected him the most.

[@alexstone7035]

I remember being taught about this in primary school, not far from Aberfan. Our teacher had tears in his eyes.

[@peterlewis8040]

A raw and emotional scar for all of us who grew up in south Wales for many years after. I was born in 1966, but we all knew about this. My great grandfather and his dad were miners. Our family moved to Cardiff during my grampys lifetime. Well presented.

[@Chris-hx3om]

This is the event that was the tipping point for my mother's move to atheism. Being declared 'an act of god', she then questioned how a 'loving god' couldn't have held the slide back, or bought it forward, a couple of hours. What little 'faith' she had left was completely, and irrevocably destroyed. Thank you Simon for sharing this. I knew of the event, and most of the broader details, but your handling of it was done with great respect. Not even an "I hope you found this video interesting". Kudos to you.

[@AtheistOrphan]

Same here!

[@falsealaska]

Yes, a god that kills 116 children for no obvious reason is a god I will never respect.

[@Petem7668]

Sounds pretty closed minded

[@Chris-hx3om]

@@Petem7668 Closed minded to what? An invisible friend in the sky? I gave those up when I was 4 years old.

[@Petem7668]

@@Chris-hx3om if you believe in “God” you’d have to believe he created the universe as in the Bible. If this ever lasting “being” that never started or ended, exist. What makes you think you would understand something so trivial when we are made of the same shit as the universe. It’s just a whole lot that I totally don’t understand and you could say we never will or were meant to

[@andrewmorton7482]

This is one of my earliest memories. My brother and sister were staying, with my Mum, at her parents' house while my Dad was looking for a house in Coventry before taking up a new job. We came home and news of the disaster was on my grandparents' television and I remember the grim expression on my Grandad's face as he said that something terrible had happened.

[@xnelder6029]

Thank you for sharing this with us Simon. As a man from Yorkshire with a lot of mining heritage in the family, I can’t believe this is the first time I have heard of this disaster. They truly were different times back then

[@vr6swp]

This was covered by 1970's disaster doc series When Havoc Struck. It shows a lot of actual film of the recovery effort. It's creepy

[@russellfitzpatrick503]

At least documentaries aren't put together for dramatic effect (or prizes) like most films, to whom truth is usually an irritation

[@99killerbacon]

Loved this approach and the tone was perfect.. I would love to see an episode on the Tuam babies im Ireland. The general gist is that there were and estimated 800 babies bodies found in a sewer tank and had been buried there by nuns of the catholic church. The Irish government has been silent on the topic, refusing to provide any information or release any documents, which cause a lot of debate in Ireland. I think it could make for a good episode on this channel due to it's horrific story.

[@domteewhy52]

This was hard to watch. Not use to that on this page but I felt it essential. Not that the story be told but that people listen. Thank you and your team for your care in the story , analysis, and delivery. Edit- it’s also the first time I’ve seen the emotion try to escape. No would would blame you if it did. Again. Thank you and your team

[@jacobprice2579]

My parents were raised in a mining family over the boarder in Shropshire. Sadly, Aberfan is an earliest memory for both of them. Needless to say there were a lot of kids terrified of going to after this.

[@terryenby2304]

This happened near my mum, on her birthday. As you can imagine she hasn’t ever been able to celebrate it the same since.

[@feraldelight]

My heart broke watching this. Beautifully written, and powerfully expressed. Thank you Simon.

[@aquilarossa5191]

I know of a UK disaster. Maggie and her famous axe. She devastasted dozens of cities and towns with that axe. Most have never recovered. The north remembers.

[@jo77183]

Not well enough :(

[@budycelyn]

we had another old tip slide in Tylorstown recently, a few valleys over from Aberfan, same thing really although in this case it slid into the river and not a school. all the mining valleys have these tips and all are a danger since the government seems to have lost track of them, they've had to re-survey a lot of these areas.

[@richiehoyt8487]

We live in a time when satellite 3D radar mapping is used to find ancient Mayan ruins, long overgrown and, indeed, buried by centuries of encroaching jungle - and yet...(?!)

[@TheStobb50]

I was six-year-old when this happened, but I remember it as if it was yesterday. I am not from all Aberfan but my Family all come from a small mining village in County Durham, Easington lane, this really terrified everybody children the same age as I was from a village just like the village where I come from. The slag heap from the mine was a place we used to play I never went near it for years after Aberffan and there is now a golf course. Thank you very much for covering this subject letting the world know that the coal board walked away completely free of all responsibility. I’m sure they got there reward having to explain this to their God

[@blueberrypirate3601]

The same month a horrendous wet autumn across Europe sent torrents of mud into the churches of Venice and Florence.

[@kevingray3550]

That swine Alf Robens who was Chairman of the NCB at the time died in 1999 whe was 88. I am sure that it was because even the devil himself didn't want him

[@kawasakikev8905]

well presented Simon , totally respectful and fitting , i would have made a little more of the NCB incident and apportioned a bit more blame myself , they got away with everything , this was the first media story i ever remember , i was almost 6 yrs old and we had it explained to us at school , it was quite harrowing as our school was at the bottom of a steep sided valley and as kids we obviously considerd that the same thing could happen to us . We raised money for the disaster fund selling biros and pencils ,my dad worked in a large factory and he took bag fulls of biros and sold the lot to his work mates . I've always wanted to visit this now peaceful part of Wales and pay my respects , after watching your video i will make more of an effort . thank you for the painful reminder and great video ..

[@maureenhuizinga5675]

Absolutely heartbreaking. Thank you for not forgetting the survivors' and their suffering after the event. Too often those are forgotten victims.

[@christina1wilson]

Really appropriate way to end the episode with sadnes, silence, and restraint. And the getting up and just walking off--omg, that was emotional.

[@ianmorris7485]

I was 7 at the time of the Aberfan disaster and I remember how devastating it was to see and read about what happened. It was something that for a long time was difficult to forget and then became something you desperately tried to forget. It was about this time that I lost any faith I had in God. How could God let so many children die I thought. Of course, as I got older I realised it was nothing to do with God but callousness of humans. It was the worst of corporate greed and ineptitude but equally the best of Britons pitching in to do what they could to help.

[@jordikostiuk8471]

The second I heard 'From the disaster relief fund' after that figure I was filled with rage. Despicable.

[@odinfromcentr2]

I'd ask how they sleep at night, but we all know people like that lack consciences. Either they never had them to start or they killed them off when they became inconvenient.

[@Stettafire]

@@odinfromcentr2 We're Welsh, they've never given a fuck about us

[@siobhan-rae]

Absolutely rage inducing.

[@robbpatterson6796]

Thank you for doing justice to this tale. This has to be one of the hardest videos for me to watch as it happened just up the road; albeit, before I was born. I know the story but it's nice that other people will now know and remember those people too

[@Religion0]

Every single aspect of his the aftermath of this disaster was handled leaves me fuming and terrified. Heads should have rolled, pockets should have been emptied, everything should have changed! Instead nothing changed. Grief and kindness did all the work, as it too often does.

[@stuartronald9785]

One of my favourite channels in the SW catalogue. Makes you grateful for what you have around you when people have been treated so badly.

[@hecate235]

I live in the midwest U.S., was 13yo at the time, and remember learning this on the news. The horror and grief still echo. I knew even then, that this was no "accident." That to the rich, profit would always outweigh safety, and lives. Very well done, Simon. This has echoes of the 1889 Johnston Flood, where greed and arrogance had disastrous consequences. I am also reminded that it took massive public pressure for the Queen to acknowledge Diana's death so many years later, too. Comforting her peole in times of tragedy, would seem to be part of her job description.

[@Chemclskinz]

Came here from Geographic: dude, I love the tone and backdrop, you guys really knocked the production out of the park. Can't wait to see more.

[@Therealmcdoc]

As a father of three, I couldn't help but cry. I doesn't help that I come from the Rhine-Ruhr area, growing up ~300metres from a dump of the local coal mine...

[@vxracing380]

I'm from Wales Aberfan is quite local to me. Thank you Simon for tell the story with such respect and grace! Your a top guy and love your channels.

[@tanyaabram8336]

Thank you for covering this, very tastefully and sensitively done. That's the first time I've seen Simon looking close to tears covering any subject 😢

[@ioanfurnham3298]

The entirety of South Wales stopped that day. My Great Grandfather was a dock hand in Cardiff Docks (now Cardiff Bay). I was told by my Dad that every man dropped what they were doing to grab a shovel and head to the disaster site.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:10 - Chapter 1 - Aberfan 2:50 - Chapter 2 - The colliery 5:35 - Chapter 3 - 10/21/1966 7:30 - Chapter 4 - Rescue attempts 9:30 - Chapter 5 - Aftermath 11:45 - Chapter 6 - The 2nd disaster 13:50 - Chapter 7 - End

[@MsSpiffz]

I used to live on that hillside. You missed out the fact that the slip crossed the canal, turning the whole horrendous mix into a slurry. The old canal bed is still closed off at that point - it filled. Further along, on both sides, it is still a drainage ditch. I would also point out that the mine wasn't 'privatised', it was nationalised, having previously been privately owned.

[@kenlyneham4105]

It is beyond comprehension, that the mine owners were not held responsible for this horrific disaster. The mining company had been warned a number of times, of the danger of placing a spoil/waste heap on top of a spring. Plus, as mentioned by Simon, the warnings were evident when the pile had already began to slip. There were seven spoil tips on the hills above Aberfan. Tip 7-the one that slipped onto the village-was begun in 1958 and, at the time of the disaster, was 111 feet (34 m) high. In contravention of the NCB's official procedures, the tip was partly based on ground from which springs emerged. The springs and waterways had been mapped long before the disaster, and had been marked on the Ordnance Survey and Geological Society maps since 1874. When the NCB chairman, Lord Robens arrived in Aberfan, he was asked about the responsibility of the NCB for the slide, he answered: "I wouldn't have thought myself that anybody would know that there was a spring deep in the heart of a mountain, any more than I can tell you there is one under our feet where we are now. If you are asking me did any of my people on the spot know that there was this spring water, then the answer is, No-they couldn't possibly. ... It was impossible to know that there was a spring in the heart of this tip which was turning the centre of the mountain into sludge." He lied. The whole event reeks of British Bastardry, incompetence, and a total lack of any decency or empathy.

[@hullinstruments]

As an American, I would think the queens reaction was ok and accurate. She would have only distracted and taken away from what was going on… But I acknowledge that I don’t understand your culture or how the people react to dignitaries & royalty.

[@Neko141212]

Yeah, objectively it makes sense for the Queen to stay away out of fear that her presence would ruin the rescue work. However, royalty in modern times is meant to be a symbol of unity for the people. So, when awful things happen they're expected to respond and show up quickly to act as a symbol of the nation's grief and support for those who have suffered. We saw this play out when Lady Diana died as well. People wanted the royal family to pretty much immediately show up and show compassion for the people that were hurting. And people got very angry that they instead 'hid away' - even though the Queen was probably just trying to be a proper grandmother and protect William and Harry. Unfortunately, she couldn't do that at the end of the day - the anger of the people wouldn't allow them to stay away, it would put the crown at risk. And so, Harry and William ended up having to walk behind their own mother's coffin in front of thousands of people just to make the people happy, not to protect the mental health of two young boys who had just lost one of their parents in an awful accident. Royals get a lot of shit for their pampered and rich upbringing, but honestly, they go through a lot of shit as well. Having to balance the knife's edge of public opinion can no doubt be hard and at times traumatizing, at least for the children growing up in that system.

[@keithmoore5306]

oh yeah her security detail alone would have added a level of chaos to the entire mess!

[@jaketuchel3543]

Yes I totally agree. But at the time emotions never allow you to logically understand that, it would feel like abandonment and the media would have had a field day on that aspect exasperating the high emotions further. Damned if you, damned if you don’t.

[@kingjellybean9795]

Personly I wouldn't have gone till the names of each lost was known, that way she could learn all the names as the queen should have and maybe preside over a royal funeral for those lost. But we all know the monarchy hates children lol the queen at the time of the publishing of uncle Tom's cabin denounced slavery "as it should" but was still A-OKAY with child slave labor in her country and colonies. Apples don't fall far from the tree

[@debbainbridge4290]

As a Welshman, I personally think it’s quite a stain on the monarchy. Dignitaries are expected to be there in times of disaster and grief. Even if she could not help, it shows a unity and respect for her fellow brits. Not showing up only furthers the Welsh/English divide. I wonder if she would have been there if this disaster was in England 🤔

[@aled721]

dad was on leave from the army at the time, he was there after 2 hours and was digging. he still crys when he hears 'Aberfan'

[@garrymartin6474]

Its the first news story I remember, I was frightened to go to school the next day even though I lived no where near a coal mine. All my five year old class mates felt the same too and our teach spent most of the day reassuring us or trying to entertain us rather than doing lessons.

[@prussianhill]

A similar disaster at Buffalo Creek in West Virginia spurred me on to a career in law. I can't make things right, but I can at least make sure that people are made answerable for what they've done.

[@jnryt98]

Amazing video talking about a tough topic. I live near the village where Britain's worse mining disaster in South Wales. The Senghenydd Mining Disaster killed 439 people

[@michaelsummerell8618]

I live only a few miles down the road from Aberfan and as Simon rightly says it does rain a lot here. It still makes me a little nervous when you can look around and still see the mountainous spoils nearby, even if they are mostly grown over with grass now...

[@andrear2061]

The worst destar I hope we'll ever have in the south wales valleys. Thank you for your accurate and sympathetic account. It still painful for all around the old mining communities, I am glad that we are not forgotten and hope that lessons were learnt.

[@ricardoquiles-rosa5545]

Simon’s earnest apology for possibly mispronouncing to the welsh word is why he is the Fer-EAKING best. Such a Tragic story deserves only to be told by him. No flash no frills no pretension. Just an honest and objective recounting of the events and the places that shape our world. Big fan. Thank you and your team for this and all your other channels.

[@jaketuchel3543]

First I heard of this horrible event was from The Crown. That left me emotional for weeks. The fact no criminal chargers were laid is astounding.

[@bunnymad5049]

Really nicely covered. Better cover and more details than others I've watched. Thanks! So horrific. Unimaginable. You did this with great compassion even though you sound matter-of-fact. Can't say I "enjoyed it" due to its very nature, but very much appreciate all you put into it. Made me cry.

[@bjw4859]

I remember that episode of ' The Crown ', it's the only one that I watched more than once, I then fact checked it as best I could. The Queen not turning up till much later & the blatant lack of compassion by the coal board seemed to be the main things to stand out, but because of that show I now know about Aberfan disaster & my heart goes out to the families & friends of all those who were lost, RIP.

[@keithdavison2960]

Even with the passing of time this story still saddens me and my heart goes out to all those poor parents just can’t imagine such a horrific accident ever happening.

[@STORMDAME]

The very first disaster I remember happening in real time. I was a very young child but it really affected me. It was so sad and preventable

[@ballinlikestalin878]

Never heard of this event before but that's why I love Simon's channels. This disaster reminds me of another that would make for a good video. The Jonestown flood was another disaster where those at fault brazenly walked away Scott free, with its own controversy.

[@johnridley1038]

I was 9 years old when this happened, and living in very comfortable leafy enfield in north london, I can remember seeing the views of the town on B/W tv, I remember being shocked by the views of how these children lived, cheek by jowel and all very dour and dull, tenements stretching away in the distance, The school (southbury junior) I was at did a fundraiser for aberfan. the vision of the disaster still haunts me today, and stumbleing into this short film, makes me weep with the waste of young life. RIP

[@kirin1195]

I feel like it's apparent in his voice that as a father. The children's deaths affected his reading. Keep doing good work Simon.

[@spacecase13]

I love the impact of Simon just getting up and leaving at the end of this dark tale.

[@harrylerwill8915]

My father (Bill "Otto" Lerwill) helped dig out the bodies, he was an RAC roadside assistance rider, I was 1 at the time. Thank you for covering the topic with grace.

[@MrHurst-lb1rn]

Great close! You are truly a legend, #factboy. Don't forget to feed the basement "employees". You've all been doing outstanding work.

[@raslolayton2152]

Very well made, sensitive video. Thank you. I was a 16 year old kid in Liverpool when it happened; we didn't really understand the fullness of the tragedy. I do now. Can't give the vid a "like" though, you understand.

[@codyj1162]

Wow. Amazingly well done Simon. The reverence to the children and the families was so appropriate as well as the hard words that the ones responsible for the accident needed to be held accountable for. The end was so appropriate as well. You can certainly portray difficult information and events with excellence. Most of all with compassion and heartfelt respect they deserve. 👍

[@cambrian5595]

Simon. As a lifelong resident of Merthyr Tydfil and who's family was directly affected, by the Aberfan Disaster, I wish to extend my gratitude for the sensitive way you handled this awful tragedy. My cousin was a schoolboy, at Pantglas Primary School and was trapped inside his classroom when the landslide occurred. Fortunately, he was found alive, but many of his friends were not so fortunate. My grandfather, a miner at the nearby colliery,was one of the first on the scene and began digging with his bare hands. He never spoke of what happened. I cannot begin to impress sufficiently, upon anyone reading this, just how the village of Aberfan was destroyed by the disaster: both physically and metaphorically. Almost an entire generation, of that village, was wiped out: killed by the black gold upon which Aberfan relied. Aesthetically, the village has recovered but there continues to be a palpable sense of tragedy and loss which can never heal. Although I was born eleven years after the disaster, my mother had taken me - her infant son - to see her family in Merthyr Vale: the village immediately adjacent to Aberfan. My mother was eighteen years old and was pushing me, while I slept in my pram, in to Aberfan when she happened upon a woman she knew whom had lost her only child in the disaster. Her child was a girl and had she not been killed, would have been the same age as my mother. The woman, upon seeing my mother and I, broke down in tears. The disaster had not only robbed the woman of her only child, but of ever having a grandchild. Both the government of the day and the National Coal Board (NCB) behaved despicably; not only because of the self-preservist attitude they displayed but the callousness they showed in stealing money from the disaster fund in order to pay toward the removal of the tips. Although the sun taken was eventually paid back in the late 1990s, the anger caused by that theft continues to resonate in the community to this day. The corporate greed of the NCB was and continues to be a slap in the face of every person, in Aberfan, that lost what was most precious to them and for which no financial sum can ever compensate. Again Simon, thank you.

[@elinmelyn1]

there's talk across Wales today of the dangers existing spoils face, with climate change and increasing rainfall there are risks of some spoils slipping again

[@odinfromcentr2]

O cachu. 😰

[@shopshop144]

One of your best, across all the channels. It was good to see and share your passion and rage. This had a good back and forth, a balance between the facts and the meaning. Good, wise choice not to have a sponsor.

[@McMcTear]

I recommended this like 12 months ago glad to see you’ve made a video on it

[@denebkaitos7511]

I hadn't recognized the name at first, but watching further, I do remember either reading or watching something about this somewhere a while ago. The horror of the utter devastation is only matched by the horror towards the utter heartlessness of the ncb and the government that were supposed to protect them from this kind of catastrophe. Anyone who could so easily gloss over the death of children in favor of covering their own asses is truly some of the worst of humanity. Good on Simon for bringing this disaster into the light, and handling the subject with care and respect for all those affected.

[@russellfitzpatrick503]

Another horrific example of a nationalised industry cutting corners, and passing the buck when it came to the tragic consequences of shoddy maintenance and corporate neglect. I remember the event and still cannot believe some of the actions and decisions that were made in the run-up to this disaster

[@SimonTekConley]

The news media, or how they treated it, was exactly why the queen would've wanted to stay away. Her being there, would lift moral, but would've taken away time from what would be needed to be done.

[@JoshuaC923]

Agreed

[@theeggtimertictic1136]

I've no particular time for the queen or monarchy in general ... but in this case I can see the reasoning. I hate when politicians attend funerals here in Ireland .

[@falconeshield]

Still, it is her biggest regret and it was public since 2002.

[@carlgriffiths8482]

I live not a few miles from Aberfan the Crown used my village for the Aberfan episode always love your videos and the way you treated this and other tragic events My father took part in the rescue and recovery it broke him Keep up the brilliant work

[@ericgranberg7971]

How many channels is this now Fact Boi!!!!?? Thanks for all the great content, from Toptenz to Brain Blaze (Business Blaze) to Casual Criminalist Side projects and Mega Projects, Today I Found Out and now Into the Shadows