Swiss Bar Fire: Remains of UAE Resident Student Repatriated to Italy
Dubai-based teenager Emanuele Galeppini among victims of deadly New Year’s Eve blaze
The remains of Emanuele Galeppini, a Dubai-based Italian student who died in a deadly New Year’s Eve bar fire in Switzerland, were repatriated to Italy with full honours on Monday, according to Reuters, citing the Italian government.
Galeppini, 17, was among five Italian victims flown to Milan aboard a military aircraft following the fire at a crowded bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana. Military personnel saluted as the coffins were carried from the plane in a formal ceremony.
The other victims included Achille Barosi and Chiara Costanzo from Milan, Giovanni Tamburi from Bologna, and one individual from Genoa.
Swiss police confirmed on January 5 that all 40 people killed and 116 injured in the blaze have now been formally identified. The fire erupted after an explosion tore through the venue during a New Year’s Eve celebration, rapidly engulfing the bar.
Galeppini was an Italian junior golfer living in Dubai and ranked 3,454th in the world amateur golf rankings. His public profile described him as an “Italian junior golfer living in Dubai, loves to golf, compete and eat.”
While Italian officials, media outlets, and the country’s golf federation have publicly identified Galeppini and issued tributes, Swiss police and the teenager’s family have not released a separate official statement confirming his death.
Matteo Mineo, Chief of Staff to Italy’s Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, paid tribute on LinkedIn, describing Galeppini as “a young life taken too soon,” and extending condolences to his family, friends, and the Genoese sporting community.
The Italian Golf Federation also confirmed his death in a statement posted on Instagram, saying it mourns the passing of “a young athlete who carried passion and authentic values with him.”
“At this time of great sorrow, our thoughts are with his family and all those who loved him. Emanuele, you will forever remain in our hearts.”
Tributes have also come from the UAE sporting community. Stephen Deane, Dubai Golf Head International Development Coach, told Khaleej Times that Galeppini was both talented and kind-hearted, noting that the teenager cared deeply about others. Deane, who coached him for several years, shared training videos of Galeppini practising in Dubai in 2024.
Italian outlet Primocanale reported on January 5 that Galeppini’s coffin arrived at the Capuchin Church inside San Martino Hospital in Genoa following the repatriation from Switzerland. Footage shared by the outlet showed the coffin’s arrival after the military flight landed in Milan earlier that day.
Swiss authorities said preliminary findings suggest the fire may have been triggered by sparkler candles placed on bottles inside the bar. Officials noted that the bottles were positioned too close to the ceiling, leading to a flashover.
A flashover occurs when intense heat causes nearly all combustible materials in an enclosed space to ignite almost simultaneously, rapidly turning a contained fire into a fully developed blaze. Investigations into the cause of the incident remain ongoing.