'Living a Nightmare': Relatives of Unaccounted For Young People Desperately Seek Information After Ski Resort Fire

Missing teen photo
Teenage Swiss national Arthur Brodard is among the missing.

The relatives of teenagers unaccounted for after a deadly fire at a bar in a Swiss alpine town are facing an agonising period of uncertainty for confirmed information and appealing for information about their children via social media.

The inferno devastated the Le Constellation bar in Cans-Montana, located in the Alps of south-west Switzerland, in the small hours of New Year's Day. Confirmed images show the ceiling igniting as beverages with fireworks are raised in celebration.

Officials have indicated that it could take considerable time to formally name the fatalities of the disaster, which resulted in the death of 40 people and wounded another over a hundred. Authorities noted on Friday that 113 of the injured have been accounted for, with efforts ongoing to locate the remaining few.

In the interim, families and friends have been using social media to plead for clues about their friends who were in attendance that night.

Appeals for the Missing

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

The resident of Lutry near the city, explained to a local newspaper that she had gone back to the city to see if he was in the hospital, while his father did the equivalent search in Bern, but was unsuccessful.

"This is a living nightmare, an ordeal. The options are finding my son in the morgue, or I find him in critical condition. It's terrible," she said.

She continued that some of his companions had been discovered with burns covering nearly half their bodies. "There are no words; they endured a terrifying ordeal."

The Italian foreign ministry has said that six of its citizens are still unaccounted for.

Unaccounted teen portrait
Young athlete Emanuele Galeppini, sixteen, was last heard from around midnight on December 31st, according to.

One of those is Emanuele Galeppini, a teenage promising athlete, originally from Italy but now residing in Dubai.

The Italian Golf Federation has stated that he is deceased, without directly referencing the tragedy, paying tribute to a "talented young man who carried with him passion and authentic values."

His parent, reportedly stated 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 awaited.

Additional Missing Individuals

Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is likewise unaccounted for. His parent explained that he had been on holiday but had gone out with a group and ended up at the bar.

"A companion told me they ran away after the fire erupted and that he had his phone with him, but then at a specific moment he couldn't see him anymore," she explained, adding he had been wearing a identifiable piece of jewelry.

One of his teachers commented, "He was known for his kindness and positive demeanor, combined with great maturity. He would frequently offer to get me a coffee."

Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Greek and Swiss nationality but lives permanently in the country, was also at the bar on that night, according to media.

Her sibling has shared an appeal online, saying the relatives has had "no updates" regarding the 15-year-old or the group she was with, who are also unaccounted for.

Consular authorities from her country of origin say they are continuing to monitor the case.

Mr. William Kerr
Mr. William Kerr

An avid mountaineer and writer sharing insights from global expeditions and wilderness survival.