🔗 Share this article

The loved ones of teens unaccounted for after a tragic blaze at a establishment in a Swiss winter destination are facing an agonising period of uncertainty for official news and appealing for information about their children online.

The blaze ripped through the Le Constellation bar in the alpine resort, located in the Alps of south-west Switzerland, in the small hours of the first day of the year. Verified footage show the ceiling igniting as bottles with fireworks are held aloft.

Authorities have stated that it could take days if not weeks to formally name the fatalities of the disaster, which resulted in the death of 40 people and wounded another over a hundred. Officials said on Friday that 113 of the those hurt have been accounted for, with efforts continuing to name the remaining few.

In the meantime, families and friends have been taking to online platforms to plead for clues about their friends who were in attendance that night.

Appeals for the Missing

The whereabouts of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, 16, are not yet determined, according to an heartfelt request from his mother.

The resident of a town near Lausanne, informed a publication that she had gone back to Lausanne to check whether he was in the medical facility, while his father did the same in Bern, but did not locate him.

"This is a living nightmare, a horror. The options are finding my son in the morgue, or I find him in intensive care. It's terrible," she told the paper.

She continued that some of his friends had been located with burns covering a significant portion of their bodies. "There are no words; they went through an absolute nightmare."

The Italy's foreign ministry has said that a number of of its nationals have not been located.

One of those is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old promising athlete, originally from Genoa but now living in Dubai.

The Italian Golf Federation has stated that he is no longer with us, without directly referencing the fire, paying tribute to a "young athlete who represented passion and authentic values."

His father, reportedly stated that his son was at the bar and was last heard from around midnight. An representative has stated that a formal confirmation of his death is still pending.

Other Missing Individuals

Giovanni Tamburi, 16, is likewise unaccounted for. His parent said that he had been on vacation but had gone out with friends and ended up at the venue.

"A companion told me they fled after the fire started and that he had his phone with him, but then at a certain point he they were separated," she said, adding he had been wearing a identifiable piece of jewelry.

One of his educators said, "I remember his kindness and smile, alongside great maturity. He would frequently offer to get me a coffee."

Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Greek and Swiss nationality but lives permanently in Switzerland, was also present on that night, according to reports.

Her sibling has posted an appeal online, saying the relatives has had "no updates" regarding the teenager or the group she was with, who are also unaccounted for.

Officials from her other nation say they are closely watching the case.