MEXICO CITY, March 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Families of the mineworkers killed in the Feb. 19 mine explosion in northern Mexico had begun receiving financial support from the mine company Minera Mexicana, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

    Rescuers were still trying to recover the bodies of the 65 miners who died in the disaster at the Pasta de Conchos mine, in the state of Coahuila.

    The company said it would make a one-off payment of 750,000 pesos (around 75,000 U.S. dollars) to each victim's family, and that the money had been delivered to 51 of the 65 dead miners' families.

    The payment was being made in addition to the legislated compensation offered under Mexico's laws covering workers killed in industrial disasters.

    Presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar said on Monday that authorities are committed to digging the bodies of the 65 dead miners out, but it may take weeks or even months to finish the job because of the damage caused by the explosion at the mine. Enditem