'Trapped in a Dreadful Dream': Families of Missing Teenagers Await Information After Ski Resort Inferno
The relatives of young people lost after a tragic blaze at a establishment in a Switzerland's winter destination are confronting an painful period of uncertainty for answers and pleading for any details about their family members publicly.
The blaze engulfed the Le Constellation bar in Cans-Montana, located in the Alps of the Valais region, in the early hours of January 1st. Confirmed footage show the ceiling being engulfed in flames as beverages with sparklers are held aloft.
Authorities have indicated that it could take days if not weeks to formally name the victims of the fire, which killed 40 people and injured another over a hundred. Officials noted on Friday that the majority of the injured have been identified, with the process ongoing to identify the final individuals.
In the meantime, relatives have been using social media to request clues about their missing relatives who were at the bar that fateful night.
Heartbreaking Pleas for the Missing
The whereabouts of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, 16, are currently unknown, according to an appeal from his parent.
The who lives of Lutry near Lausanne, told a publication that she had returned to the city to check whether he was in the medical facility, while his father did the same in the capital, but was unsuccessful.
"It feels like a terrible dream, an ordeal. Either I find my son in the morgue, or I find him in a serious state. It's terrible," she said.
She explained that some of his friends had been found with injuries covering a significant portion of their bodies. "There are no words; they endured hell."
The Italian government has confirmed that six of its young people have not been located.
Among them is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old junior golfer, who hailed from Genoa but now residing in the UAE.
The Italian Golf Federation has said that he is dead, without mentioning the fire, paying tribute to a "talented young man who represented passion and true sportsmanship."
His father, is quoted as saying that his son was at the bar and was last heard from around midnight. An official spokesperson has clarified that a official announcement of his death is still pending.
Further Cases
Giovanni Tamburi, 16, is likewise unaccounted for. His mother explained that he had been on holiday but had ventured out with a group and ended up at the bar.
"Someone with him informed me they fled after the fire started and that he had his phone with him, but then at a certain point he they were separated," she recounted, adding he had been wearing a distinctive gold chain.
One of his teachers said, "I remember his good nature and smile, alongside great maturity. Every time ask if get me a coffee."
Alice Kallergis, who holds both Greek and Swiss nationality but lives full-time in Switzerland, was also at the bar on that night, according to media.
Her brother has posted an urgent request online, saying the family has had "no information" regarding the teenager or the three friends she was with, who are also unaccounted for.
Consular authorities from her other nation say they are continuing to monitor the case.