'Trapped in a Dreadful Dream': Loved Ones of Missing Teens Await Information After Ski Resort Blaze
The relatives of teens missing after a tragic blaze at a establishment in a Switzerland's winter destination are facing an painful wait for official news and appealing for any details about their family members via social media.
The blaze 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 video show the roof structure catching alight as beverages with fireworks are raised in celebration.
Officials have indicated that it could take days if not weeks to identify the victims of the disaster, which killed 40 people and injured another 119. Authorities stated on the latest update that the majority of the injured have been accounted for, with the process continuing to locate the remaining few.
In the waiting period, relatives have been using online platforms to appeal for clues about their loved ones who were at the bar that evening.
Appeals for the Missing
The whereabouts of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, a teenager, are currently unknown, according to an appeal from his parent.
The who lives of a town near the city, told a publication that she had gone back to the city to check whether he was in the hospital, while his father did the same in the capital, but did not locate him.
"I'm living a nightmare, an ordeal. Either I find my son in the morgue, or I find him in critical condition. It's horrific," she said.
She explained that some of his peers had been discovered with burns covering nearly half their bodies. "It's unspeakable; they went through a terrifying ordeal."
The Italy's foreign ministry has confirmed that six of its young people remain missing.
One of those is Emanuele Galeppini, a teenage sportsman, originally from Italy but now living in the UAE.
The national sporting body has released a tribute that he is dead, without directly referencing the fire, paying tribute to a "talented young man who embodied dedication and authentic values."
His father, told media that his son was at the bar and was last heard from around the new year. An official spokesperson has stated that a official announcement of his death is still pending.
Additional Cases
Giovanni Tamburi, 16, is likewise among the missing. His mother told reporters that he had been on holiday but had ventured out with friends and ended up at the bar.
"A companion told me they escaped after the fire broke out 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 identifiable gold chain.
One of his educators said, "I remember his good nature and smile, alongside great responsibility. He would frequently ask if help out."
Alice Kallergis, who holds both Greek and Swiss nationality but lives permanently in the country, was also at the bar on that night, according to media.
Her sibling has posted an appeal online, saying the family has had "no updates" regarding the teenager or the three friends she was with, who are also reported missing.
Consular authorities from her country of origin say they are closely watching the case.