King Charles leads tributes to survivors of Aberfan school disaster on 60th anniversary

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III led tributes Wednesday to the people of the Welsh village of Aberfan on the 60th anniversary of a coal slide onto a school that claimed the lives of 116 children and 28 adults.

Charles, who was joined in Aberfan by his wife Queen Camilla and his eldest son Prince William, said it was “profoundly humbling” to hear the testimonies of those who survived the collapse of a mountain of coal sludge onto Pantglas Junior School on Oct. 21 1966.

The disaster unfolded following days of heavy rain, when excavated mining debris from the nearby Merthyr Vale Colliery was dislodged and came thundering down the hillside. The coal waste had been piled high above Aberfan for years, even though there were numerous underground springs below.

Children in the school were just getting ready for lessons when 1.5 million cubic feet of liquefied slurry crashed into the school and a number of nearby houses. About half the children from the junior school died in the tragedy,

The coal executives at the time had been warned about the possibility of a debris slide prior to the disaster. Despite a 76-day public inquiry at the time, no one faced prosecution or lost their job.

“We have heard stories of heartbreak, but also of heroism,” Charles said while visiting the Aberfan Memorial Garden, which is located on the site of the junior school, “We have heard of the most agonizing grief, but also of the most inspiring grace.”

During the memorial events, a prayer and a moment of silence were held in the garden. The king and William laid wreaths, while the queen placed a posy.

“No one should ever have to bear what you, as a community, have endured, but no one could have borne it with greater strength, resilience, or hope,” Charles said. “Please know how deeply we feel with your sorrow, how greatly we admire your strength, and how you will, always, be in our hearts.”

Rona Price, 94, a former policewoman who attended the scene of the tragedy, was among those who met the royals, describing it as a “great honor.”

Aberfan survivor Jeff Edwards thanked the royal family for their “enduring support, compassion and commitment” in a speech to those gathered at the community center.

The royals have long showed their support for the community. Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II. visited Aberfan eight days after the tragedy and shortly after a mass funeral had taken place. Her decision not to visit sooner was said to have been one of the greatest regrets of her reign. She returned to Aberfan three more times during her life.

“October 21 1966 is forever etched into our memory, a day of unimaginable tragedy and loss that changed the lives of families and the community forever,” Edwards said. “The presence of members of the royal family in those difficult years became a lasting and deeply valued part of Aberfan’s history.”

Earlier this week, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham also visited the village to pay tribute to the strength and resilience of the community in the aftermath of the disaster.

“I visited on Monday and heard how the injustices people suffered at the time and in the aftermath of the tragedy at the hands of the state still hurt,” he said Wednesday in the House of Commons.