- The CEOs of BHP Billiton (NYSE:BHP) and Vale (NYSE:VALE) made their first public appearance today in Brazil at the scene of the dam at their jointly owned subsidiary that burst and unleashed a deadly avalanche of mud and water.
- BHP's Andrew Mackenzie and Vale's Murilo Ferreira offered no explanation of what might have caused the disaster and said their current priority is to save lives and comfort victims; Ferreira said the causes of the accident would be fully investigated afterward.
- The CEOs say they will support the Samarco joint venture in creating an emergency fund for rebuilding works and to help the affected families and communities.
- Ferreira declined to answer questions about whether his company had been dumping its own mine waste into Samarco’s dam system before it broke, as has been suggested by Brazilian prosecutors and local officials.