The explosion on February 19 of last year at Industrial Minera Mexico’s Pasta de Conchos operation in Mexico’s northern state of Coahuila was caused by gas, according to the Associated Press.
The five bosses, whose names have not been disclosed, and their legal teams have been given 20 days to present evidence in their favour.
A state official for Coahuila, Jorge Rios, told the news service the managers and inspectors at the San Juan de Sabinas mine did not change unsafe conditions that were discovered during a check eight months earlier.
IMM spokesman Oscar Kaufmann said in a statement Thursday the company is confident a fair trial will be given. All of the individuals are still working for the operator, he added.
Of the 65 who died, only two bodies were recovered. Gasses and physical obstacles have kept the rest of the bodies within the mine, which is now closed. IMM has said that while recovery efforts will continue, it does not plan to recommence production.
Industrial Minera Mexico is owned by Grupo Mexico SA de CV.