Crans-Montana in Switzerland held a day of mourning on Sunday for the victims of the New Year’s Eve fire at the Le Constellation nightclub, which killed 40 people and injured 121 others. Authorities have identified 24 of the deceased, most of them young adults, with many aged between 13 and 25.

Among those identified were 18 Swiss nationals aged 14 to 31, two Italians aged 16, a dual Italian–Emirati national aged 16, a Romanian aged 18, a 39-year-old French national, and an 18-year-old Turkish national, according to Valais cantonal police. DNA testing conducted at Lausanne Hospital matched parents’ genetic data with recovered remains. Families of the identified victims have received the bodies, while authorities continue searching for three missing Italians.

Hundreds of mourners gathered in Crans-Montana for an hourlong Mass at Chapelle Saint-Christophe, where a message of condolence from Pope Leo XIV was read. Bishop Jean-Marie Lovey conveyed the Pope’s sympathy, saying, “The Pontiff joins us in our sorrow… to support those who are suffering.” Attendees left the chapel in silence to the sound of the organ before joining a silent march toward the Le Constellation bar, many carrying flowers. Snow cannons on the surrounding slopes sprayed clouds of snow as the procession passed through the quiet town.

During the Mass, Father Gilles Cavin acknowledged the uncertainty faced by families waiting for news of their loved ones. “We pray for their friends, so deeply affected by the tragedy on what should have been a day of celebration and togetherness,” he said. Services were delivered in German, French, and Italian to accommodate the international victims.

Swiss authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the nightclub’s managers on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter, intentional bodily harm, and arson, Valais regional prosecutor Béatrice Pilloud announced. Investigators suspect that sparklers placed on champagne bottles may have ignited the fire after coming into contact with the ceiling. Authorities plan to examine whether the ceiling’s soundproof insulation complied with safety regulations, whether the sparklers were authorized, and whether fire extinguishers and emergency exits were adequate.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin declared January 9 a national day of mourning. Church bells across the country will ring at 2 p.m. for a minute of silence to honour the victims.

Severely injured survivors have been treated in Switzerland and other European countries. French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist reported that 17 patients were treated in France, with additional transfers to Germany, Italy, and Belgium planned.

The fire has shocked Switzerland and the international community, highlighting concerns over safety at crowded entertainment venues. Local authorities continue to investigate the incident as families and communities cope with the scale of the tragedy.

Swiss authorities have identified the first four victims of a deadly fire that erupted at the Le Constellation bar in the Crans-Montana ski resort during New Year’s Eve celebrations. Regional police said on Saturday that the victims—a 16-year-old boy and girl, an 18-year-old man, and a 21-year-old woman—have been returned to their families.

Authorities are continuing the process of identifying other injured and deceased individuals. The severity of the burns and destruction of personal belongings, including wallets and identification, has made identification difficult. Families have been asked to provide DNA samples to assist officials, with many relying on social media to locate missing relatives.

“The priority today is truly placed on identification, in order to allow the families to begin their mourning,” said Beatrice Pilloud, attorney general for Switzerland’s Valais region. Italian psychologist Elvira Venturella, working with the families, described the anguish caused by the uncertainty. “It destroys people’s stability. The more time passes, the more difficult it becomes to accept not having information,” she said.

One parent, Laetitia Brodard from Lausanne, recounted her last exchange with her son via text just after midnight: “Happy New Year, mom, I love you,” he wrote. She replied, “Happy New Year, big guy, have a good time.”

The fire is believed to have started when sparklers placed in champagne bottles ignited highly flammable polyurethane foam on the ceiling. Early reports indicate that 113 of the 119 injured people have been identified. Many victims sustained burns over more than 70 percent of their bodies, and some suffered severe smoke inhalation.

Swiss authorities are coordinating international medical support for those seriously injured. Several patients have been transferred to hospitals in Germany, with additional transfers planned to France, Italy, and Belgium. Many victims face extended treatment schedules, often requiring multiple surgeries every other day.

Fire safety and building design have come under scrutiny. Eyewitnesses described a dangerous crush on a narrow staircase leading from the basement bar to the ground floor. A bartender reported that the venue had only one main entrance and one emergency exit, which was blocked during prior visits. Fire experts have confirmed that sound-absorbing polyurethane foam is highly flammable and produces dense, toxic smoke, significantly reducing escape time.

Authorities are investigating safety compliance, building materials, evacuation routes, and potential criminal liability for survivors or staff. Videos and photos from the scene show revelers holding fireworks in champagne bottles, which may have triggered the blaze. While officials are considering charges such as negligent arson or involuntary manslaughter, no evidence of criminal intent has been confirmed so far.

The tragedy at Le Constellation remains one of Switzerland’s deadliest recent fires, with officials working to identify all victims, support families, and investigate the circumstances of the disaster.

The US military carried out strikes on five alleged drug-smuggling boats over two days, killing at least eight people while others jumped overboard, US Southern Command said on Thursday. The attacks bring the total number of known boat strikes since early September to 35, with at least 115 people killed, according to official figures.

The strikes took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, though Southern Command did not disclose the locations of the operations in the Caribbean Sea or the eastern Pacific Ocean. Videos released by the command show boats traveling in close formation, described as unusual, along known trafficking routes. Southern Command said the vessels had transferred narcotics between them before the strikes, although the military did not provide evidence to support this claim.

In the first attack, three people were killed when one boat was struck, while occupants of two other vessels jumped into the water to escape. Southern Command said it immediately contacted the US Coast Guard to begin search and rescue efforts, but did not confirm whether those who jumped were rescued.

The Coast Guard’s involvement is significant given earlier scrutiny over US military operations targeting drug-smuggling boats. In September, survivors of an attack on a disabled boat were killed in a follow-up strike, sparking criticism from some Democratic lawmakers and legal experts who said the action may have violated international law. The Trump administration and some Republican lawmakers defended the strike as legal.

On Wednesday, US forces attacked two more vessels, reportedly killing five people engaged in drug trafficking. Videos released by Southern Command showed explosions hitting boats, but no further details were provided on the waters where the attacks took place or evidence of the alleged smuggling.

President Donald Trump has defended the military operations, describing them as part of a necessary escalation to reduce the flow of drugs into the United States. He characterized the campaign against drug cartels as an “armed conflict” and has bolstered US forces in the region to increase pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces charges of narco-terrorism in the United States.

In a separate development, the CIA carried out a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to be used by Venezuelan drug cartels, according to two sources familiar with the classified operation. The strike marked the first known direct US action on Venezuelan soil since the military began targeting suspected cartel vessels in September, highlighting a further escalation in Washington’s campaign against Maduro’s government.

The US operations have intensified regional tensions and raised questions about the legal and humanitarian implications of military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats, as well as the fate of those who escape into the water during such attacks.