'Trapped in a Dreadful Dream': Relatives of Unaccounted For Young People Desperately Seek News After Ski Resort Fire
The families of young people missing after a tragic fire at a establishment in a Swiss alpine town are confronting an painful period of uncertainty for answers and appealing for any details about their family members online.
The blaze ripped through the a popular 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 video show the ceiling catching alight as bottles with fireworks are held aloft.
Officials have indicated that it could take considerable time to identify the fatalities of the disaster, which resulted in the death of 40 people and wounded another scores more. Authorities stated on the latest update that 113 of the injured have been accounted for, with work continuing to identify the remaining few.
In the meantime, loved ones have been using the internet to request information about their friends who were at the bar that fateful night.
Appeals for the Unaccounted For
The whereabouts of teenager from Switzerland Arthur Brodard, sixteen, are currently unknown, according to an heartfelt request from his parent.
The resident of a town near Lausanne, informed a publication that she had returned to Lausanne to see if he was in the hospital, while his other parent did the equivalent search in Bern, but did not locate him.
"It feels like a terrible dream, an ordeal. The options are finding my son in the morgue, or I find him in a serious state. It's horrific," she stated.
She explained that some of his friends had been located with burns covering nearly half their bodies. "It's unspeakable; they endured an absolute nightmare."
The Italy's government has indicated that a number of of its nationals are still unaccounted for.
One of those is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old junior golfer, who hailed from Genoa but now living in Dubai.
The Italian Golf Federation has released a tribute that he is no longer with us, without mentioning the tragedy, honoring a "young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values."
His parent, reportedly stated that his son was at the bar and was last in contact around midnight. An representative has stated that a formal confirmation of his death is still pending.
Additional Cases
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is also unaccounted for. His mother said that he had been on holiday but had ventured out with friends and found himself at the venue.
"A close friend said they fled after the fire erupted and that he had his phone with him, but then at a specific moment he they were separated," she explained, adding he had been wearing a identifiable gold chain.
One of his educators stated, "I've always been struck by his good nature and smile, coupled with great responsibility. Often ask if help out."
Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Swiss and Greek citizenship but lives full-time in Switzerland, was also at the bar on that night, according to sources.
Her sibling has shared an appeal online, saying the relatives has had "no information" regarding the teenager or the group she was with, who are also unaccounted for.
Consular authorities from her other nation say they are continuing to monitor the situation.