'Enduring a Horrific Ordeal': Loved Ones of Missing Young People Desperately Seek Information After Alpine Inferno
The families of teenagers lost after a tragic fire at a establishment in a Swiss alpine town are confronting an painful wait for official news and requesting any details about their family members publicly.
The inferno engulfed the Le Constellation bar in the alpine resort, located in the Alps of south-west Switzerland, in the small hours of January 1st. Circulated footage depict the ceiling being engulfed in flames as bottles with fireworks are raised in celebration.
Officials have indicated that it could take days if not weeks to identify the those who perished of the fire, which resulted in the death of 40 people and injured another 119. A spokesperson stated on the latest update that the majority of the injured have been identified, with the process ongoing to locate the remaining few.
In the meantime, loved ones have been using social media to request any news about their missing relatives who were at the bar that evening.
Desperate Searches for the Missing
The fate of teenager from Switzerland Arthur Brodard, 16, are currently unknown, according to an appeal from his mother.
The resident of Lutry near Lausanne, told a local newspaper that she had gone back to Lausanne to check whether he was in the medical facility, while his father did the equivalent search 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 intensive care. Words cannot describe it," she said.
She explained that some of his companions had been discovered with burns covering nearly half their bodies. "It's indescribable; they experienced a terrifying ordeal."
The Italian government has said that a number of of its nationals remain missing.
Among them is Emanuele Galeppini, a teenage promising athlete, originally from Genoa but now residing in the UAE.
The Italian Golf Federation has released a tribute that he is dead, without mentioning the tragedy, paying tribute to a "young athlete who carried with him dedication and true sportsmanship."
His father, is quoted as saying that his son was at the bar and was last heard from around midnight. An representative has indicated that a official announcement of his death is still pending.
Additional Cases
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is also among the missing. His mother said that he had been on vacation but had gone out with a group and ended up at the bar.
"A close friend informed me they ran away after the fire broke out and that he had his phone with him, but then at a specific moment he they were separated," she said, adding he had been wearing a distinctive piece of jewelry.
One of his teachers commented, "I've always been struck by his good nature and smile, alongside great maturity. Often offer to get me a coffee."
Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Swiss and Greek citizenship but lives full-time in the country, was also present on that night, according to sources.
Her brother has shared an urgent request online, saying the family has had "no news" regarding the teenager or the group she was with, who are also unaccounted for.
Officials from her other nation say they are continuing to monitor the case.