The families of young people lost after a deadly fire at a venue in a Switzerland's alpine town are confronting an painful period of uncertainty for answers and appealing for clues about their children publicly.
The fire engulfed the a popular bar in the alpine resort, located in the mountains of south-west Switzerland, in the small hours of New Year's Day. Verified footage reveal the ceiling being engulfed in flames as beverages with sparklers are held aloft.
Emergency services have stated that it could take days if not weeks to formally name the those who perished of the tragedy, which resulted in the death of 40 people and hurt another scores more. Authorities said on the latest update that 113 of the those hurt have been accounted for, with the process ongoing to locate the other six.
In the waiting period, families and friends have been using online platforms to plead for information about their friends who were present at the venue that evening.
The location of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, sixteen, are not yet determined, according to an public plea from his parent.
The who lives of Lutry near Lausanne, explained to a local newspaper that she had gone back to Lausanne to check whether he was in the hospital, while his other parent did the same in Bern, but did not locate him.
"I'm living a nightmare, a horror. Either I find my son in the morgue, or I find him in intensive care. It's terrible," she told the paper.
She explained that some of his companions had been discovered with burns covering nearly half their bodies. "There are no words; they experienced a terrifying ordeal."
The Italian government has said that a number of of its citizens remain missing.
One of those is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old junior golfer, who hailed from Genoa but now residing in the UAE.
The national sporting body has released a tribute that he is deceased, without mentioning the tragedy, honoring a "talented young man who embodied dedication and authentic values."
His father, told media that his son was at the bar and was last in contact around the new year. An official spokesperson has clarified that a official announcement of his death is not yet.
Giovanni Tamburi, sixteen, is also unaccounted for. His mother explained that he had been on holiday but had gone out with a group and found himself at the bar.
"A companion said they escaped after the fire started and that he had his phone with him, but then at a certain point he lost sight of him," she recounted, adding he had been wearing a identifiable piece of jewelry.
One of his teachers stated, "He was known for his kindness and smile, combined with great maturity. Often ask if get me a coffee."
Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Greek and Swiss citizenship but lives permanently in Switzerland, was also present on that night, according to reports.
Her sibling has posted an appeal on social media, saying the relatives 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 situation.
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