The families of some of the 33 miners trapped deep below the Atacama Desert in northern Chile are seeking at least $1 million per worker in damages in a newly filed lawsuit.

Relatives of 27 of the men who have been stuck in the San Jose mine since it collapsed on August 5 began joint legal action against those they believe are responsible.

"The suit is against the company that owns the mine, against the state workers who did not do their jobs and the Chilean state," explained Brunilda Gonzalez, mayor of Caldera, a town near the mine.

She estimated that damages awarded to each trapped miner, "should be, as in other countries, at least a million (US) dollars per worker."

The lawsuit was filed at the court in Copiapó, a town near the mine, about 500 miles north of the capital Santiago.

"The courts will decide how to split up any compensation, who pays and who is responsible," Mrs Gonzalez told local station Radio Cooperativa.

Families are furious that the mine was allowed to reopen in 2008 – a year after a fatal accident – despite apparently failing to improve safety standards.

Following the mine's collapse the government took the step of freezing all assets – estimated at $9.7 million dollars (£6.1m) – of the San Esteban group which operates the mine.

The company filed for bankruptcy in early September and the huge cost of the rescue operations has so far been paid for by the Chilean government. Meanwhile the 33 miners who have now endured almost two months below ground have begun clearing debris dislodged into their underground chamber by a drill widening one of three planned rescue shafts to reach them.

The Plan B drill has been making such good progress that rescue workers said earlier this week they believe they could be ready to free the men by mid-October, nearly a month ahead of schedule.

Source: Telegraph (UK)