'Enduring a Horrific Ordeal': Loved Ones of Unaccounted For Young People Await News After Ski Resort Fire
The loved ones of young people lost after a devastating fire at a establishment in a Switzerland's ski resort are confronting an agonising wait for official news and pleading for information about their family members publicly.
The blaze ripped through the a popular bar in Cans-Montana, located in the Swiss Alps of south-west Switzerland, in the middle of the night of New Year's Day. Circulated images show the ceiling igniting as beverages with sparklers are raised in celebration.
Emergency services have warned that it could take days if not weeks to formally name the those who perished of the fire, which resulted in the death of numerous partygoers and wounded another over a hundred. Officials noted on the latest update that 113 of the injured have been identified, with the process continuing to name the other six.
In the meantime, families and friends have been using the internet to plead for information about their friends who were in attendance that night.
Heartbreaking Pleas for the Missing
The whereabouts of teenager from Switzerland Arthur Brodard, 16, are not yet determined, according to an heartfelt request from his parent.
The resident of Lutry 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 did not locate him.
"This is a living nightmare, a nightmare. Either I find my son in the morgue, or I find him in intensive care. It's terrible," she said.
She added that some of his friends had been located with burns covering a significant portion of their bodies. "It's indescribable; they went through hell."
The Italian government has confirmed that a number of of its young people have not been located.
Included in that group is Emanuele Galeppini, a teenage junior golfer, who hailed from Genoa but now residing in Dubai.
The Italian Golf Federation has stated that he is deceased, without directly referencing the fire, honoring a "talented young man who carried with him passion and true sportsmanship."
His parent, is quoted as saying that his son was at the bar and was last heard from around midnight. An official spokesperson has indicated that a formal confirmation of his death is not yet.
Additional Missing Individuals
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is also unaccounted for. His parent said that he had been on vacation but had ventured out with friends and ended up at the bar.
"A close friend told me they ran away after the fire erupted and that he had his mobile with him, but then at a specific moment he they were separated," she said, adding he had been wearing a identifiable piece of jewelry.
One of his teachers commented, "I've always been struck by his kindness and positive demeanor, combined with great responsibility. He would frequently ask if help out."
Alice Kallergis, who holds both Greek and Swiss citizenship but lives permanently in the country, was also present on New Year's Eve, according to sources.
Her brother has posted an appeal online, saying the family has had "no news" regarding the teenager or the group she was with, who are also reported missing.
Officials from her other nation say they are closely watching the case.