'Enduring a Horrific Ordeal': Relatives of Unaccounted For Teenagers Await Answers After Ski Resort Inferno
The families of young people lost after a tragic inferno at a venue in a Swiss alpine town are enduring an excruciating period of uncertainty for confirmed information and appealing for clues about their family members publicly.
The blaze devastated the a popular bar in Cans-Montana, located in the Alps of the Valais region, in the small hours of January 1st. Confirmed images depict the ceiling igniting as beverages with fireworks are held aloft.
Emergency services have warned that it could take days if not weeks to identify the victims of the tragedy, which killed 40 people and hurt another over a hundred. Authorities said on Friday that 113 of the those hurt have been identified, with the process still underway to name the final individuals.
In the waiting period, loved ones have been taking to online platforms to plead for information about their missing relatives who were at the bar that night.
Desperate Searches for the Missing
The whereabouts of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, a teenager, are currently unknown, according to an heartfelt request from his family.
The resident of a town near the city, told a publication that she had gone back to Lausanne to see if he was in the medical facility, while his father did the equivalent search in Bern, but could not find him.
"This is a living nightmare, an ordeal. Either I find my son in the morgue, or I find him in critical condition. Words cannot describe it," she told the paper.
She added that some of his friends had been discovered with injuries covering a significant portion of their bodies. "There are no words; they endured an absolute nightmare."
The Italy's foreign ministry has said that six of its citizens are still unaccounted for.
One of those is Emanuele Galeppini, a teenage junior golfer, originally from Italy but now residing in Dubai.
The national sporting body has said that he is dead, without directly referencing the tragedy, paying tribute to a "talented young man who represented dedication and true sportsmanship."
His parent, told media that his son was at the bar and was last heard from around the new year. An official spokesperson has indicated that a official announcement of his death is not yet.
Other Missing Individuals
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is likewise unaccounted for. His mother explained that he had been on holiday but had ventured out with friends and found himself at the bar.
"A close friend told me they escaped after the fire broke out and that he had his phone with him, but then at a specific moment he they were separated," she explained, adding he had been wearing a identifiable piece of jewelry.
One of his teachers stated, "I remember his kindness and smile, alongside great maturity. He would frequently offer to help out."
Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Swiss and Greek nationality but lives permanently in Switzerland, was also present on that night, according to media.
Her sibling has published an appeal online, saying the relatives has had "no updates" regarding the 15-year-old or the group she was with, who are also unaccounted for.
Officials from her other nation say they are actively engaged with the developments.