Former Immanuel College schoolgirl missing after Swiss ski resort fire
Charlotte Niddam, believed to be 15, previously attended the private Jewish school in Hertfordshire
A former Immanuel College pupil is among those missing after a fire at a Swiss ski resort killed 40 people and injured 119 others.
Charlotte Niddam, believed to be 15, previously attended Immanuel College in Hertfordshire.
A statement published by the private Jewish school confirmed she was missing. It urged the community to come together and said it was “praying for a miracle”. It added: “The family has asked that we keep them in our prayers and thoughts during this extremely difficult time. We are all praying for a miracle for Charlotte and the others and want the families to feel the full strength of the Immanuel College community’s support.”
Pictures of the missing teenager were shared in a post on an Instagram account set up to help locate survivors.
According to the Crans-Montana resort website, she had been working as a babysitter in the area.
The blaze started while revellers were celebrating New Year’s Eve.
The injured included 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French and 11 Italians, along with citizens of Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal and Poland, according to Frederic Gisler, police commander of the Valais region.
The nationalities of 14 people are still unclear.
Mourners have left candles and flowers in an impromptu memorial near the Constellation bar in Crans-Montana. Hundreds of others prayed for the victims at the nearby Church of Montana-Station.
Emanuele Galeppini, a promising 17-year-old Italian golfer who competed internationally, is officially listed as one of Italy’s missing nationals.
Authorities are planning to look into whether the material on the ceiling of the venue that was designed to muffle sound conformed with regulations.
Officials said they would also look at other safety measures on the premises, including fire extinguishers and escape routes.
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