Families Await News of Missing Teens After Swiss Ski Resort Fire

Families Pray for Updates on Their Loved Ones

Families of teenagers missing after a fire at a bar in a Swiss ski resort are enduring an agonizing wait for official news and are pleading for information about their loved ones on social media. The blaze devastated the "Le Constellation" bar in Crans-Montana, nestled in the Swiss Alps, during the early hours of New Year's Day. Verified images show the ceiling engulfed in flames as bottles of fireworks were raised above.

Swiss authorities have stated that it could take days or even weeks to identify the victims of the fire, which claimed the lives of 40 individuals and injured another 119. Officials reported on Friday that 113 of the injured have been identified, and efforts continue to ascertain the identities of the remaining six. Meanwhile, families and friends have turned to social media to seek information about those who were in the bar that fateful night.

The Case of Arthur Brodard

The whereabouts of 16-year-old Swiss national Arthur Brodard remain unknown, according to an emotional appeal from his mother, Laetitia. A resident of Lutry, near Lausanne, she shared with local newspaper Le Temps that she returned to Lausanne to check if he was in the hospital, while Arthur's father searched in Bern, but they could not find him. "I am living a nightmare, a nightmare. Either I find my son at the morgue or in critical condition. It's terrible," she said. Laetitia also mentioned that some of Arthur's friends were found with burns covering nearly half of their bodies. "There are no words; they have been through hell."

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that six of its citizens remain missing, including Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old junior golfer from Genoa, who was living in Dubai. The Italian Golf Federation confirmed his death without mentioning the fire, paying tribute to a "young athlete who carried with him passion and authentic values." His father, Edoardo, stated to Italian channel TG24 that his son was at the bar and was last heard from around midnight.

Other Missing Persons

Giovanni Tamburi, another missing young man, was also at the party. His mother, Carla Masiello, from Bologna, recounted to La Repubblica that he was on vacation with his father but stepped out with friends and ended up at "Le Constellation." "A close friend told me they fled when the fire broke out, and he had [his phone] with him, but then at some point, he was no longer seen," she added. Tania Causio, one of his teachers, remarked on his kindness and smile, coupled with great maturity.

Alice Kallergis, a dual Greek and Swiss national, was reportedly seen at the bar on New Year's Eve according to sources and media reports from Greece. Her brother posted an appeal on Instagram, stating that the family has received "no news" of the 15-year-old girl or the three friends she was with, who are also reported missing. Greek consular authorities have stated that they are closely monitoring the situation.