Wentworth Falls landslide: How British family were killed while hiking in popular tourist spot
- Two are dead and two in critical condition after landslide in Blue Mountains
- Emergency 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 uninjured
- Police have revealed the victims were a British family holidaying in Australia
A father, 49, and son, 9, have died while a mother, 50, and another boy, 14, are fighting for life after a horror landslide near Wentworth Falls, in the Blue Mountains, on Monday.
A multi-agency rescue operation was launched to retrieve the family - a husband, wife and three kids - from the Wentworth Pass loop track after emergency services were called about 1.40pm.
The woman and 14-year-old boy suffered severe head and abdominal injuries were winched from the location by paramedics just before 6pm.
They were airlifted to Westmead Hospital and the Children's Hospital at Westmead in critical conditions.
A girl, 15, who was uninjured, walked out of the track and is now being treated for shock.
Landslide leaves two dead and two others in critical condition
Two bushwalkers have died following a landslide in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney
A teenage boy and woman have been airlifted to hospital in critical conditions, while a fifth member of the family - a 15-year-old girl- was uninjured
Rescuers had struggled to access the patients due to the remote location and hazardous terrain, with paramedics describing the trail as 'unstable' after recent heavy downpours across the region.
The notoriously steep Wentworth Pass track has a grade four difficulty, under NSW National Park and Wildlife Service guidelines, which recommends only experienced bushwalkers take on the trek.
Despite the muddy, slippery conditions, NSW Police said the part of the track where the tragedy occurred was open to the public.
Several areas around Wentworth Falls had been closed since March 11 due to flood damage, with a major landslip recently shutting Kedumba Valley Road.
National Pass, another trail around 350 metres away from the deadly incident, had also been closed for the past few weeks due to an 'ongoing rockfall risk'.
A man who was at the popular tourist spot around the same time as the Brits on Monday told Daily Mail Australia he cautiously cut his hike short because the ground was muddy and stairways were wet and he'd recently suffered a leg injury on a trek.
In an eerie post an hour after the tragedy, trail running organiser Ultra-Trail Australia announced the Wentworth Falls track was due to be upgraded later this week to make sure it was safe in time for their upcoming event.
'We've been working closely with [National Parks and Council teams] to ensure that our courses will be good to go come 12-15 May, and we're confident that they will be ready in 5 weeks time,' the group wrote on their Facebook page about 2.30pm.
The tragedy happened near the Wentworth Pass hiking track in the Blue Moutains, about 50km west of Sydney
Paramedics were winched from a rescue helicopter down the cliff face as they searched for anyone who had been taken by moving debris
A rescue operation (pictured) was launched to lift the critical patients out of the area for further medical treatment
'Parks has asked us to let you all know about a few upcoming track closures this week on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th of April (weather dependant), which include sections of course near Fairmont Resort and Wentworth Falls.'
However, hours after the deaths, NSW National Park and Wildlife Service announced the section would be closed indefinitely.
'The Wentworth Falls and Valley of the Waters precincts are closed following a rockfall incident,' the department wrote on their website.
'Please avoid this area until further notice.'
Hiking fanatics who visited the same trail in recent days have flocked online to express their shock and offer their condolences to the victims' family.
Several areas around Wentworth Falls (pictured: A hiker on the trail on Monday) had been closed since March 11 due to flood damage, with a major landslip recently shutting Kedumba Valley Road
A video posted by sports and recreation blogger Find My Australia shows hikers winding their way down the steep cliff and up muddy embankments over the weekend.
While picturesque, the clip highlights the precarious nature of the valley walk, which features sharp descents down narrow stone stairways and towering walls of rock.
'This is the trail we completed two days earlier and were unaware of any dangers at the time,' they wrote on Facebook.
'Our thoughts are with the families of these walkers'.
NSW Police said the family were holidaying in Australia from the UK.
The British Consulate is assisting in the matter.
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.
The mother is at Westmead Hospital while the teenage boy and girl are being treated at Westmead's Children's Hospital.
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.
In an eerie post an hour after the tragedy, trail running organiser Ultra-Trail Australia announced the Wentworth Falls track was due to be upgraded later this week to make sure it was safe in time for their upcoming 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
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 during the rescue operation on Monday evening.
'A girl is walking out at the moment, who is obviously clearly [and] extremely distressed.'
Mr Clarke said it is believed a member of the family or somebody nearby alerted emergency services.
Superintendent Clarke described the scene as an 'extremely dangerous, unstable environment'.
'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.
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.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by the treacherous terrain, which has been 'unstable' due to recent rainfall
The rescue operation also involved local police, Police Rescue, Fire and Rescue NSW, National Parks & Wildlife Services, Blue Mountains detectives, and PolAir and rescue helicopters
'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.'
Blue Mountains City Council Mayor Mark Greenhill offered his thoughts to the victims, their family, and friends.
'Whether resident here or not, those who come within our beautiful Blue Mountains are taken to our hearts,' Mr Greenhill wrote online.
'Moments like this cause pain and grief to our entire Blue Mountains family.'
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, and PolAir and rescue helicopters.
Wentworth Pass Loop is a 5km bushwalking track through the Blue Mountains National Park.
Wentworth Pass Loop is a 5km bushwalking track through the Blue Mountains National Park. Pictured: an emergency services worker at the scene on Monday
The woman and 14-year-old boy suffered severe head and abdominal injuries were winched from the location by paramedics just before 6pm.
They were airlifted to Westmead Hospital and the Children's Hospital at Westmead in critical conditions.
A girl, 15, who was uninjured, walked out of the track and is now being treated for shock.
Landslide leaves two dead and two others in critical condition
Two bushwalkers have died following a landslide in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney
A teenage boy and woman have been airlifted to hospital in critical conditions, while a fifth member of the family - a 15-year-old girl- was uninjured
Rescuers had struggled to access the patients due to the remote location and hazardous terrain, with paramedics describing the trail as 'unstable' after recent heavy downpours across the region.
The notoriously steep Wentworth Pass track has a grade four difficulty, under NSW National Park and Wildlife Service guidelines, which recommends only experienced bushwalkers take on the trek.
Despite the muddy, slippery conditions, NSW Police said the part of the track where the tragedy occurred was open to the public.
Several areas around Wentworth Falls had been closed since March 11 due to flood damage, with a major landslip recently shutting Kedumba Valley Road.
National Pass, another trail around 350 metres away from the deadly incident, had also been closed for the past few weeks due to an 'ongoing rockfall risk'.
A man who was at the popular tourist spot around the same time as the Brits on Monday told Daily Mail Australia he cautiously cut his hike short because the ground was muddy and stairways were wet and he'd recently suffered a leg injury on a trek.
In an eerie post an hour after the tragedy, trail running organiser Ultra-Trail Australia announced the Wentworth Falls track was due to be upgraded later this week to make sure it was safe in time for their upcoming event.
'We've been working closely with [National Parks and Council teams] to ensure that our courses will be good to go come 12-15 May, and we're confident that they will be ready in 5 weeks time,' the group wrote on their Facebook page about 2.30pm.
The tragedy happened near the Wentworth Pass hiking track in the Blue Moutains, about 50km west of Sydney
Paramedics were winched from a rescue helicopter down the cliff face as they searched for anyone who had been taken by moving debris
A rescue operation (pictured) was launched to lift the critical patients out of the area for further medical treatment
'Parks has asked us to let you all know about a few upcoming track closures this week on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th of April (weather dependant), which include sections of course near Fairmont Resort and Wentworth Falls.'
However, hours after the deaths, NSW National Park and Wildlife Service announced the section would be closed indefinitely.
'The Wentworth Falls and Valley of the Waters precincts are closed following a rockfall incident,' the department wrote on their website.
'Please avoid this area until further notice.'
Hiking fanatics who visited the same trail in recent days have flocked online to express their shock and offer their condolences to the victims' family.
Several areas around Wentworth Falls (pictured: A hiker on the trail on Monday) had been closed since March 11 due to flood damage, with a major landslip recently shutting Kedumba Valley Road
A video posted by sports and recreation blogger Find My Australia shows hikers winding their way down the steep cliff and up muddy embankments over the weekend.
While picturesque, the clip highlights the precarious nature of the valley walk, which features sharp descents down narrow stone stairways and towering walls of rock.
'This is the trail we completed two days earlier and were unaware of any dangers at the time,' they wrote on Facebook.
'Our thoughts are with the families of these walkers'.
NSW Police said the family were holidaying in Australia from the UK.
The British Consulate is assisting in the matter.
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.
The mother is at Westmead Hospital while the teenage boy and girl are being treated at Westmead's Children's Hospital.
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.
In an eerie post an hour after the tragedy, trail running organiser Ultra-Trail Australia announced the Wentworth Falls track was due to be upgraded later this week to make sure it was safe in time for their upcoming 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
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 during the rescue operation on Monday evening.
'A girl is walking out at the moment, who is obviously clearly [and] extremely distressed.'
Mr Clarke said it is believed a member of the family or somebody nearby alerted emergency services.
Superintendent Clarke described the scene as an 'extremely dangerous, unstable environment'.
'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.
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.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by the treacherous terrain, which has been 'unstable' due to recent rainfall
The rescue operation also involved local police, Police Rescue, Fire and Rescue NSW, National Parks & Wildlife Services, Blue Mountains detectives, and PolAir and rescue helicopters
'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.'
Blue Mountains City Council Mayor Mark Greenhill offered his thoughts to the victims, their family, and friends.
'Whether resident here or not, those who come within our beautiful Blue Mountains are taken to our hearts,' Mr Greenhill wrote online.
'Moments like this cause pain and grief to our entire Blue Mountains family.'
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, and PolAir and rescue helicopters.
Wentworth Pass Loop is a 5km bushwalking track through the Blue Mountains National Park.
Wentworth Pass Loop is a 5km bushwalking track through the Blue Mountains National Park. Pictured: an emergency services worker at the scene on Monday
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