Sydney landslide: British father and son killed with two in critical
British father, 49, and son, nine, are killed in Australian tourist spot landslide during family holiday – with woman, 50, and boy, 14, critically hurt and girl, 15, miraculously unscathed
Two are dead and two in critical condition after landslide in Blue MountainsEmergency services were called to Wentworth Falls in the national park A man and boy have died, a woman and boy are critical, and a girl was uninjuredPolice have revealed the victims were a British family holidaying in Australia
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A British father and son have died while two other members of the same family are in critical condition after getting caught in a landslide while on holiday in Australia.
The man, aged 49, and his 14-year-old son were pronounced dead at the scene of the landslip in the Blue Mountains, a popular tourist area to the west of Sydney, around 1.30pm on Monday.
A woman, aged 50, and another boy, 14, were also airlifted to hospital in critical condition having suffered severe head and abdominal injuries.
A 15-year-old girl miraculously escaped unhurt but was taken to hospital for shock – with police saying she is ‘extremely distressed’.
Police said all five were members of the same British family, who were on holiday in Australia when tragedy struck.
Paramedics were winched from a rescue helicopter down the cliff face as they searched for anyone who had been taken by moving debris
‘The five people are all members of the same family and are British nationals who were holidaying in Australia,’ NSW Police said in a statement.
‘The British Consulate is assisting in the matter.’
NSW Police Detective Acting Superintendent John Nelson described the incident as ‘a tragic scene’.
‘Our rescuers [are] working under quite arduous conditions,’ he told reporters on Monday evening.
‘A girl is walking out at the moment, who is obviously clearly [and] extremely distressed.’
NSW Ambulance Acting Chief Superintendent Stewart Clarke said the two critical patients had ‘significant head and abdominal injuries’ that required sedation prior to them being extricated.
Authorities are still working to determine whether the landslide fell on the group while they were walking along a bush track, or if they were trekking along the cliff face that fell.
Mr Clarke said it is believed a member of the family or somebody nearby alerted emergency services.
Rescuers had struggled to access the patients due to the remote location and treacherous terrain, with weeks of torrential rain across the region creating slippery conditions.
Superintendent Clarke described the scene as an ‘extremely dangerous, unstable environment’.
A rescue operation (pictured) is underway to air lift the critical patients out of the area for further medical treatment
Rescue efforts have been hampered by the treacherous terrain, which has been ‘unstable’ due to recent rainfall
‘This was a really complex and delicate rescue operation for our crews who were working to access patients in rugged bushland and were navigating unstable ground,’ he said.
Despite recent downpours, it is understood the part of the walking track where the tragedy occurred was open to the public.
Superintendent Clarke said the situation was devasting for everyone involved.
‘This is absolutely heartbreaking for all involved and a truly tragic ending to what I’m sure was meant to be a pleasant day out,’ he said.
‘It is terribly sad to have lost two lives here today and my heart goes out to the families and the survivors of this horrific ordeal who have witnessed what is certainly a traumatic event.’
Seven paramedic road crews including special operations paramedics and two rescue helicopters with a critical care doctor and a critical care paramedic on board were dispatched to the scene.
The rescue operation also involved local police, Police Rescue, Fire and Rescue NSW, National Parks & Wildlife Services, Blue Mountains detectives, PolAir and rescue helicopters,
Wentworth Pass Loop is a 5km bushwalking track through the Blue Mountains National Park.
According to the NSW National Park Service website, the ‘challenging’ walk has a grade 4 difficulty, indicating it is very steep and bushwalking experience is recommended.
