Swiss police have identified 16 additional victims of the devastating New Year’s Eve fire at a bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, bringing the total number of confirmed identifications to 24.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Valais cantonal police said the newly identified victims include 10 Swiss nationals, four women and six men, aged between 14 and 31. They also include two 16-year-old Italians, a 16-year-old holding dual Italian and Emirati nationality, an 18-year-old Romanian, a 39-year-old French national and an 18-year-old Turkish national. Names have not been released.
The fire, which broke out at a bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations, claimed the lives of 40 people, making it one of the worst tragedies in Switzerland in recent history. Authorities had previously confirmed the identities of eight victims, all Swiss nationals.
Police said identification efforts are ongoing, while investigations into the cause of the blaze continue.