Swiss Resort Bar Fire: 17-Year-Old Italian Golfer Is One of the First Identified Victims

Emanuele Galeppini, an Italian Golfer, Is Among First Victims Named in Swiss FireMr. Galeppini, 17, was a promising young golfer from Genoa who lived in Dubai with his family, the Italian media reported.Flowers near the bar Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Friday.Credit...Til Bürgy for The New York TimesJan. 2, 2026, 5:14 a.m. ETEmanuele Galeppini, a young Italian golfer, was one of the first victims identified in the fire. On Thursday, the Italian Golf Federation confirmed in a statement that Mr. Galeppini had died, describing him as “a young athlete who embodied passion and authentic values.”“Emanuele, you will forever remain in our hearts,” the Federation added.Mr. Galeppini had been on the list of missing Italians, according to La Repubblica, an Italian newspaper. Mr. Galeppini, 17, was from Genoa and had moved to Dubai a few years ago, according to La Repubblica.The last time that his family spoke with him, according to Corriere della Sera, another Italian newspaper, was at midnight on New Year’s Day.As soon as news of the blaze broke, Edoardo Galeppini, his father, started trying to call his son, La Repubblica reported. He received no answer.The younger Mr. Galeppini’s parents spent Thursday traveling to hospitals around the region to try to find their son among the injured, La Repubblica reported.“We can’t get in touch with him — help us find him,” his father told Italian television, according to La Repubblica.Mr. Galeppini had attended the Swiss International School in Dubai and was set to graduate next year, according to the World Amateur Golf Ranking.But he had maintained strong ties to his family’s local club near Genoa, the Rapallo Golf and Tennis Club, according to La Repubblica, playing close to the Italian coast every summer.“He is a talented young man, an absolute example of excellent ethics and sportsmanship,” Fabrizio Pagliettini, the director of the Rapallo club, told La Repubblica, adding, “He is one of the best Italian players under 18.”Amelia Nierenberg is a Times reporter covering international news from London.SKIP