'Enduring a Horrific Ordeal': Relatives of Missing Teenagers Await News After Alpine Blaze
The families of young people unaccounted for after a deadly inferno at a bar in a Swiss winter destination are facing an painful wait for answers and requesting information about their family members publicly.
The inferno ripped through the a popular bar in the alpine resort, located in the mountains of the Valais region, in the small hours of New Year's Day. Circulated footage reveal the ceiling catching alight as bottles with fireworks are raised in celebration.
Officials have indicated that it could take days if not weeks to identify the those who perished of the disaster, which claimed the lives of numerous partygoers and hurt another scores more. A spokesperson noted on Friday that the majority of the injured have been identified, with the process still underway to identify the remaining few.
In the meantime, relatives have been posting on social media to request information about their friends who were present at the venue that evening.
Heartbreaking Pleas for the Missing
The location of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, sixteen, are not yet determined, according to an appeal from his parent.
The resident of a town near the city, told a publication that she had returned to Lausanne to see if he was in the medical facility, while his other parent did the equivalent search in the capital, but was unsuccessful.
"It feels like a terrible dream, an ordeal. The options are finding my son in the morgue, or I find him in intensive care. It's terrible," she told the paper.
She continued that some of his peers had been located with burns covering nearly half their bodies. "It's unspeakable; they experienced an absolute nightmare."
The Italian foreign ministry has said that six of its young people are still unaccounted for.
One of those is Emanuele Galeppini, a teenage sportsman, originally from Genoa but now residing in the UAE.
The national sporting body has released a tribute that he is deceased, without directly referencing the tragedy, paying tribute to a "young athlete who embodied dedication and authentic values."
His parent, is quoted as saying that his son was at the bar and was last in contact around the new year. An representative has stated that a formal confirmation of his death is not yet.
Further Missing Individuals
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is also unaccounted for. His mother explained that he had been on vacation but had ventured out with a group and ended up at the venue.
"Someone with him told me they fled after the fire broke out and that he had his phone with him, but then at a certain point he lost sight of him," she said, adding he had been wearing a distinctive piece of jewelry.
One of his teachers commented, "I've always been struck by his good nature and smile, combined with great responsibility. Often offer to help out."
Alice Kallergis, who holds both Greek and Swiss citizenship but lives permanently in Switzerland, was also present on New Year's Eve, according to reports.
Her brother has posted an appeal online, saying the relatives has had "no news" regarding the teenager or the group she was with, who are also unaccounted for.
Consular authorities from her other nation say they are actively engaged with the situation.