As the world celebrated the dawn of a New Year, those enjoying at the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana were not so fortunate. In fact, little did they know that they were signing up for a horrific and cursed start to the New Year. As the bar caught fire, people started scampering out of the bar. While some people managed to make it out, a few were not that blessed. Notably, Emanuele Galeppini was one of the very first ones to be reported as deceased in the tragic accident.

Galeppini, who was a 16-year-old golfer from Italy, reportedly attended the party with a couple of his friends. And while both of his friends managed to escape, the budding golfer unfortunately couldn’t. “The Italian Golf Federation mourns the passing of Emanuele Galeppini, a young athlete full of passion and genuine values. In this time of great sorrow, our thoughts go to his family and all those who loved him. Emanuele, you will remain forever in our hearts,” read the official statement from the federation.

At the moment, reports suggest that close to 40 people have succumbed to the fatal fire. However, the Swiss authorities have also pointed out that since there are bodies with severe burns, identification would take quite some time.

Galeppini was born and brought up in Genoa. But as per reports from the Italian media, he was living in Dubai along with his parents.

Due to graduate in 2027, Galeppini attended the Swiss International School Dubai. The young Italian had already secured some impressive records. Notably, he held a rank of 3408 rank with a point average of 309.9458. The 16-year-old also recorded a best ranking of 2440. Having taken part on more than 50 events in 2025, he secured 13 top-10 finishes.

As the world continues to mourn, Tommy Fleetwood paid tribute to the Italian golfer.

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Tommy Fleetwood offers his condolences on late young golfer Emanuele Galeppini’s demise

Tommy Fleetwood was heartbroken upon hearing the news. He took to Instagram and paid his tribute, writing, “Our thoughts are with the Galeppini family and all the families affected by the Crans-Montana tragedy in Switzerland. Such a huge loss. Rest in peace, Emanuele.”

At a very young age, the European star boasted a strong resume. In April 2025, Galeppini won the Omega Dubai Creek Amateur Open. Alongside that, he competed in the UAE Cup of 2025 and also participated in the King Hamad Trophy in Bahrain.

Alongside Fleetwoods, the Italian Golf Federation, too, paid tribute to Galeppini. Their statement read, “The Italian Golf Federation mourns the passing of Emanuele Galeppini, a young athlete who carried passion and authentic values with him.” 

As the Swiss town fights to overcome the tragedy, we can only pray for the demised souls to find peace.