Brasilia, Jan 22 (IANS): The prosecution office of the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has filed charges against mining giant Vale and consulting company TUV SUD for intentional murder over the collapse of a tailings dam in 2019.

The collapse of the tailings dam occurred in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, on January 25, 2019, leaving 270 people dead and more than 10 missing, Xinhua news agency reported.

The prosecution office also filed charges against 16 individuals, including the former Chief Executive Officer of Vale Fabio Schvartsman.

Prosecutors said both Vale and TUV SUD were aware that an unacceptable degree of risk existed in the dam before it collapsed.

But the two companies did not inform the authorities. Instead, TUV SUD, which was supposed to make an independent audit of Vale's activities, colluded with Vale to make fake reports, authorities said.

Besides a murder accusation, Vale and the TUV SUD have been accused of environmental crimes.