🔗 Share this article

The families of young people unaccounted for after a tragic blaze at a bar in a Swiss alpine town are facing an excruciating period of uncertainty for confirmed information and pleading for clues about their loved ones publicly.

The blaze ripped through the Le Constellation bar in the alpine resort, located in the Swiss Alps of the Valais region, in the small hours of the first day of the year. Verified images depict the roof structure being engulfed in flames as beverages with sparklers are held aloft.

Emergency services have indicated that it could take days if not weeks to identify the fatalities of the fire, which claimed the lives of numerous partygoers and injured another 119. A spokesperson said on the latest update that 113 of the those hurt have been identified, with the process still underway to name the final individuals.

In the waiting period, families and friends have been using online platforms to appeal for clues about their missing relatives who were at the bar that night.

Appeals for the Missing

The fate of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, 16, are currently unknown, according to an appeal from his mother.

The resident of Lutry near the city, explained to a publication that she had gone back to the city to see if he was in the medical facility, while his father did the same in the capital, but was unsuccessful.

"It feels like a terrible dream, a nightmare. Either I find my son in the morgue, or I find him in a serious state. Words cannot describe it," she stated.

She added that some of his friends had been located with burns covering nearly half their bodies. "It's indescribable; they endured a terrifying ordeal."

The Italian foreign ministry has indicated that a number of of its nationals are still unaccounted for.

One of those is Emanuele Galeppini, a teenage promising athlete, originally from Italy but now residing in the UAE.

The Italian Golf Federation has stated that he is deceased, without mentioning the tragedy, honoring a "talented young man who embodied passion and true sportsmanship."

His parent, is quoted as saying that his son was at the bar and was last in contact around the new year. An official spokesperson has stated that a formal confirmation of his death is still pending.

Other Cases

Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is also among the missing. His parent said that he had been on holiday but had ventured out with friends and ended up at the venue.

"A companion told me they ran away after the fire broke out and that he had his mobile with him, but then at a specific moment he couldn't see him anymore," she recounted, adding he had been wearing a distinctive gold chain.

One of his teachers stated, "I remember his good nature and positive demeanor, alongside great responsibility. Every time offer to help out."

Alice Kallergis, who holds both Swiss and Greek nationality but lives full-time in Switzerland, was also at the bar on New Year's Eve, according to media.

Her brother has posted an urgent request on social media, saying the family has had "no news" regarding the teenager or the three friends she was with, who are also unaccounted for.

Officials from her country of origin say they are continuing to monitor the case.