'Living a Nightmare': Loved Ones of Missing Young People Desperately Seek News After Alpine Blaze

The relatives of teenagers lost after a tragic fire at a establishment in a Swiss ski resort are confronting an painful wait for confirmed information and requesting clues about their family members publicly.

The inferno ripped through the Le Constellation bar in the alpine resort, located in the Alps of south-west Switzerland, in the middle of the night of January 1st. Circulated video reveal the roof structure catching alight as beverages with sparklers are raised in celebration.

Authorities have indicated that it could take an extended period to identify the victims of the disaster, which claimed the lives of 40 people and hurt another over a hundred. Authorities said on the latest update that 113 of the those hurt have been accounted for, with efforts ongoing to name the remaining few.

In the meantime, families and friends have been using the internet to plead for any news about their missing relatives who were at the bar that night.

Appeals for the Missing

The location of Swiss national Arthur Brodard, sixteen, are currently unknown, according to an appeal from his mother.

The resident of a town near Lausanne, told a local newspaper that she had returned to the city to check whether he was in the hospital, while his other parent did the equivalent search in Bern, but could not find him.

"I'm living a nightmare, an ordeal. Either I find my son in the morgue, or I find him in intensive care. Words cannot describe it," she told the paper.

She explained that some of his friends had been discovered with injuries covering nearly half their bodies. "It's unspeakable; they endured a terrifying ordeal."

The Italian foreign ministry has confirmed that a number of of its citizens are still unaccounted for.

Included in that group is Emanuele Galeppini, a 16-year-old promising athlete, who hailed from Italy but now residing in Dubai.

The national sporting body has stated that he is deceased, without directly referencing the fire, paying tribute to a "talented young man who represented passion 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 indicated that a official announcement of his death is awaited.

Further Cases

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

"Someone with him said they escaped after the fire started and that he had his phone with him, but then at a certain point he couldn't see him anymore," she explained, adding he had been wearing a identifiable gold chain.

One of his educators said, "I've always been struck by his kindness and smile, coupled with great responsibility. Every time ask if help out."

Alice Kallergis, who holds dual Swiss and Greek citizenship but lives permanently in Switzerland, was also present on New Year's Eve, according to reports.

Her brother has shared an appeal online, saying the relatives has had "no news" regarding the teenager or the group she was with, who are also reported missing.

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