Switzerland. Photo: Shutterstock Switzerland remembers the victims of the disaster on New Year's Eve.
The Swiss government announced today (January 7, 2026) that a day of mourning will be observed on Friday, January 9, throughout the country, in memory of the victims of the fire disaster in Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2025-January 1, 2026.
According to the government's announcement, "This coming Friday, 9 January, will be dedicated nationwide to remembering the victims of the tragic fire in Crans-Montana, showing solidarity with the injured and expressing sympathy for all those affected. On this day of mourning, President Guy Parmelin, together with Switzerland’s official religious communities, invites people across the country to observe a minute's silence and a moment of reflection. Church bells will ring throughout the country. A memorial service will take place in Martigny in the canton of Valais."
As you may recall, at the New Year's Eve party held at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, some 47 revelers, most of them young, were killed. More than a hundred were injured, many of them seriously. It took a long time for the Swiss security forces to work to extract the bodies from the scene, which was described as very difficult.
The ski town of Crans-Montana in Switzerland. Photo: Shutterstock