60 years on: The Aberfan Disaster
116 children died at Aberfan in 1966, and no one was ever held accountable. Here's the story of Britain's most devastating mining disaster.
Image: Pantglas Junior School following the disaster | Public Domain
In October 1966, a tragedy in a Welsh mining village was so catastrophic that it is remembered as one of the worst disasters in modern British history. Aberfan was the village in question. Early in the morning, a huge colliery spoil tip sitting on a hill above the village collapsed. The coal waste had become a slurry, creating a devastating landslide that destroyed a primary school and killed many people (mostly children).
October 2026 marks the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan Disaster. Sky HISTORY examines what happened at Aberfan, the failures that led to it, and the injustices the community faced in the decades since.
The village of Aberfan and Welsh mining
To understand how the tragedy of Aberfan came to be, it’s important to know the background of the village and how crucial mining was to Wales in the late 19th and early 20th century. Coal was a significant part of life in Wales and Aberfan was one of many villages that depended on the steam coal buried deep beneath the hills and valleys.
The Merthyr Vale Colliery, located in Aberfan, started in 1869 and began producing coal in 1875. It became the largest coalfield in South Wales, so it created a massive amount of waste. In 1916, there was no more space on the valley floor for this waste, so it was disposed of on the sides of Merthyr Mountain, above Aberfan. By 1966, there were seven tips on the mountain that stored around 2.7 million cubic yards of waste from the colliery.
The disaster
In the weeks running up to the disaster, Aberfan was plagued by torrential rain, which seeped into the waste in Tip Number 7. This combined with the natural springs embedded in the mountain led to a build-up of water pressure, liquefying the solid coal waste matter so it became a quicksand-like sludge.
On the morning of 21st October 1966, 40,000 cubic metres of sludge transformed into a landslide. The sludge barreled through a farmhouse and cottages, killing everyone there, before it continued towards Pantglas Junior School.
At 9:15am, the children at the school were just starting their last day before a break for the autumn school holidays. A rumble could be heard that some thought was thunder, while others compared it to that of a jet engine. Within seconds, the sludge engulfed the side of the school. It also hit part of a nearby secondary school and 18 houses.
Survivors and spectators have noted that there was an eerie silence across Aberfan directly after the landslide.
The rescue and survivors
It took 20 minutes for the rescue efforts to begin, as this was when the first miners from the colliery arrived. The local community were also on the scene to do what they could. People from across Wales also made their way to Aberfan to help upon hearing the news.
The last survivor was rescued from the rubble at 11am. No one else was found after that. All in all, 144 died in the disaster. This included 116 children between the ages of 7 and 10. 109 of those children were from Pantglas Junior School. 28 adults also lost their lives, five of whom were teachers at Pantglas.
The tribunal
A tribunal to investigate the cause of the disaster began on 26th October 1966. It lasted 76 days and included around 300 exhibits and 136 witnesses. The National Coal Board, or the NCB, was found to be the cause. Damning evidence proved that there were no real safety measures and no action was taken despite warnings about the tip’s instability. Despite this, no one from the NCB was prosecuted, dismissed, or even demoted.
Political accountability
Chairman of the NCB, Lord Robens, remained in his post. He offered his resignation publicly, though this was a political gesture. It was later discovered that he had been assured he would not lose his job. This was all the more devastating for the people of Aberfan.
The Aberfan Disaster fund
The Aberfan community faced even more injustice when it came to a disaster fund set up for them. The fund received more than £1.75 million worth of donations. However, the government forced the town to donate £150,000 of this money to help clear the waste. Many deemed it disrespectful to the victims and a further insult to those who suffered the most.
Remembering the disaster
Today, the Aberfan Disaster remains a harrowing memory of grief, pain, and a disturbing lack of accountability. However, the town continues to carry the memory of those lost with a quiet and refined dignity.
Some examples include the Aberfan Disaster Memorial Garden, which is located on the site where Pantglas Junior School once stood. There is also the Aberfan Disaster Cemetery, a resting place specifically for the victims. In addition, the National Library of Wales created the Aberfan Book of Remembrance, a record book for those who lost their lives. The book is currently on display at Aberfan Library.
For more on the events that have shaped modern Britain, sign up to the Sky HISTORY newsletter. Every week, you'll receive the latest articles, episodes and more delivered straight to your inbox.
