'Trapped in a Dreadful Dream': Loved Ones of Missing Teens Desperately Seek News After Ski Resort Fire
The loved ones of teenagers missing after a deadly fire at a bar in a Swiss alpine town are enduring an agonising period of uncertainty for confirmed information and appealing for information about their family members publicly.
The fire devastated the a popular bar in the alpine resort, located in the Alps of the Valais region, in the small hours of the first day of the year. Confirmed images reveal the ceiling being engulfed in flames as beverages with sparklers are held aloft.
Emergency services have warned that it could take days if not weeks to identify the victims of the disaster, which claimed the lives of four dozen individuals and wounded another 119. A spokesperson noted on Friday that 113 of the those hurt have been accounted for, with the process ongoing to name the other six.
In the waiting period, loved ones have been taking to social media to appeal for information about their missing relatives who were present at the venue that night.
Heartbreaking Pleas for the Unaccounted For
The fate of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, sixteen, are still unconfirmed, according to an heartfelt request from his mother.
The who lives of a town near Lausanne, told a local newspaper that she had returned to the city to see if he was in the hospital, while his father did the same in Bern, but could not find him.
"I'm living a nightmare, an ordeal. The options are finding 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 companions had been found with injuries covering nearly half their bodies. "It's indescribable; they endured a terrifying ordeal."
The Italian foreign ministry has indicated that six of its young people are still unaccounted for.
One of those is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old sportsman, originally from Italy but now living in the UAE.
The Italian Golf Federation has released a tribute that he is no longer with us, without directly referencing the fire, honoring a "young athlete who carried with him dedication and authentic values."
His parent, is quoted as saying that his son was at the bar and was last heard from around midnight. An official spokesperson has stated that a formal confirmation of his death is not yet.
Other Missing Individuals
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is also unaccounted for. His parent explained that he had been on holiday but had gone out with a group and ended up at the bar.
"Someone with him told me they fled after the fire started and that he had his phone with him, but then at a specific moment he lost sight of him," she recounted, adding he had been wearing a identifiable piece of jewelry.
One of his educators said, "I've always been struck by his kindness and positive demeanor, coupled with great responsibility. Often offer to help out."
Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Swiss and Greek nationality but lives full-time in Switzerland, was also at the bar on New Year's Eve, according to media.
Her sibling has published an urgent request on social media, saying the family has had "no news" regarding the 15-year-old or the three friends she was with, who are also reported missing.
Officials from her other nation say they are closely watching the case.