Mining big BHP accountable for lethal dam collapse that triggered Brazil’s worst environmental catastrophe

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Your help makes all of the distinction. Learn extra Mining big BHP has been discovered liable by a London Excessive Court docket for the catastrophic 2015 collapse of a dam in southeastern Brazil.

The numerous ruling on Friday issues a lawsuit beforehand valued by claimants' attorneys at as much as £36 billion ($48.32 billion).

The Fundao dam, situated close to Mariana, was collectively owned and operated by BHP and Vale's Samarco three way partnership.

Its devastating failure triggered Brazil's worst environmental catastrophe, killing 19 folks, leaving hundreds homeless, inundating forests, and polluting your entire Doce River.

Lots of of hundreds of Brazilians, dozens of native governments and a couple of,000 companies are suing BHP.

Choose Finola O'Farrell dominated that persevering with to boost the dam's top when unsafe was the "direct and quick trigger" of its collapse, establishing BHP's legal responsibility underneath Brazilian legislation.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/14/10/16/GettyImages-1179236069.jpeg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/14/10/16/GettyImages-1179236069.jpeg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/14/10/16/GettyImages-1179236069.jpeg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="The ruins of a house destroyed by floods following the deadly collapse of the Fundao dam in 2015 in Paracatu de Baixo village" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

The ruins of a home destroyed by floods following the lethal collapse of the Fundao dam in 2015 in Paracatu de Baixo village (AFP/Getty) BHP confirmed it will enchantment the choice and proceed to combat the lawsuit.

BHP's President Minerals Americas, Brandon Craig, stated in a press release that 240,000 claimants within the London lawsuit "have already been paid compensation in Brazil".

"We consider this may considerably scale back the dimensions and worth of claims within the UK group motion," he added.

The ruling comes after ten years of authorized wrangling, which left the hopes of tons of of hundreds of Brazilians for long-awaited justice.

The iron ore tailings dam collapsed at 4.20pm, 44.5 million cubic metres of poisonous sludge cascaded by the hills of Minas Gerais state, with pollution recorded so far as 668 kilometres (451 miles) away from the dam.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/14/10/59/GettyImages-1179236048.jpeg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/14/10/59/GettyImages-1179236048.jpeg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/14/10/59/GettyImages-1179236048.jpeg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Villages were flattened and indigenous communities saw their way of life destroyed following heavy damage to the Doce River" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Villages had been flattened and indigenous communities noticed their lifestyle destroyed following heavy harm to the Doce River (AFP/Getty) Villages had been flattened and indigenous communities noticed their lifestyle destroyed following heavy harm to the Doce River, a essential supply of irrigation, water, meals and leisure for teams such because the Krenak.

Claimants and attorneys beforehand hoped the court docket’s choice will convey closure for the victims of the dam collapse, who've struggled to maneuver on from their lives whereas they don't really feel that these liable for the dam collapse have confronted the mandatory penalties.