Hope fades for hundreds missing in Brazil dam collapse

World 
Hope fades for hundreds missing in Brazil dam collapse

Brumadinho (Web Desk): At least 34 people were killed and about 300 others remain missing after a dam collapsed at an iron ore mine in south-eastern Brazil, BBC reported.

Rescue teams have been scouring the site near the town of Brumadinho, following Friday's collapse.

It is not clear what caused the failure of the dam, owned by Vale, Brazil's largest mining company.

Vale has had 6bn reais ($1.6bn; £1.2bn) frozen from its accounts to help fund recovery works and handle damages.

The rupture of the dam caused a sea of muddy sludge to bury the site's cafeteria, where workers were eating lunch, and at least one bus that carried employees.

There had been some signs of hope earlier Saturday when authorities found 43 more people alive. Company officials also had said that 100 workers were accounted for.

But the company said in a statement Saturday afternoon that more than 200 workers were still missing, while fire officials at one point estimated the total number at close to 300.