A mother and a second son were critically injured
A British father and son have been crushed to death after a landslide hit a family in Australia.
Emergency services were called at around 1.40pm after reports that a landslide have fallen on a group of bushwalkers on the Wentworth Pass track at Wentworth Falls, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
The father, a 49-year-old man, and his nine-year-old son were killed.
The mother, 50, and a second son, 14, are both in hospital with critical injuries. They were both winched from the location just before 6pm and taken to Westmead Hospital and the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, according to New South Wales Police.
NSW ambulance acting chief superintendent Stewart Clarke said the mother and son had suffered significant head and abdominal injuries.
The couple’s 15-year-old daughter escaped unharmed and is being treated for shock.
The family were all British nationals who had been on holiday in Australia.
#UPDATE: The nationality and ages of the two people who were killed today during a family bushwalk has been revealed.
The group was hiking in the Blue Mountains when the earth gave way beneath them. @RuthWW #9News pic.twitter.com/nBcJHgKmiE
— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) April 4, 2022
NSW Police Detective Acting Superintendent John Nelson described the incident as “a tragic scene”.
“Our rescuers [are] working under quite arduous conditions,” he said. “A girl is walking out at the moment, who is obviously clearly [and] extremely distressed.”
He added: “Obviously there’s been a major weather event – I can’t comment on the condition of this walking track.”
Clarke said: “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.
“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.
“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.”
An inquiry is underway into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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