King Charles III led commemorations on Wednesday marking the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan coal disaster, a tragic event that claimed the lives of 116 children and 28 adults in the Welsh village. The monarch was accompanied by Queen Camilla and Prince William as they paid tribute to those affected.

The disaster occurred on October 21, 1966, when a massive coal slurry slide descended onto Pantglas Junior School and several nearby homes following several days of heavy rainfall. Approximately 1.5 million cubic feet of liquefied mining waste from the Merthyr Vale Colliery, which had been accumulated in large spoil heaps above the village for years, suddenly shifted downhill. The area’s natural underground springs had raised concerns about the stability of the coal rubble, but those warnings were not sufficiently acted upon.

On the morning of the tragedy, children at Pantglas Junior School were preparing to start classes when the debris flooded the site. Nearly half of the students present lost their lives, marking one of the deadliest mining-related disasters in British history. Rescue efforts were hampered by the scale of the slide and the heavy material involved.

In the aftermath, a public inquiry lasting 76 days scrutinized the circumstances leading to the disaster, including the actions of the National Coal Board and mine operators. Although the inquiry identified negligence and failures in oversight, no individuals faced criminal charges or disciplinary consequences.

During the commemorative event, King Charles described hearing from survivors as “profoundly humbling,” reflecting on the enduring impact of the disaster on the community of Aberfan. The gathering served as a reminder of the tragedy’s lasting legacy and the importance of ensuring such a catastrophe does not recur.