Emanuele Galeppini, a promising 16-year-old golfer from Italy who resided in Dubai, was identified on Friday as the first Italian victim of the tragic New Year’s Eve bar blaze in Crans-Montana, a renowned Swiss ski destination.

“The Italian Golf Federation is deeply saddened by the loss of Emanuele Galeppini, a young athlete whose life was marked by passion and authentic values,” the federation expressed in a heartfelt statement.

According to Swiss officials, the devastating fire claimed around 40 lives and left over 110 individuals injured.

Authorities have cautioned that due to the extent of the damage to the bodies, confirming the identities of the victims and determining an exact death toll will require time.

The Italian ambassador to Switzerland reported that six Italians are currently unaccounted for, while 13 others are hospitalized with injuries from the incident.

Galeppini had been in Crans-Montana with his family. Italian media reported that he had gone to the Constellation bar with two friends, who managed to escape the fire and were taken to nearby hospitals.

In January 2024, Galeppini was photographed alongside golf stars Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald as well as soccer star Dwight Yorke.

“Pic of the year,” he captioned the post.