Greece has offered to receive burn victims from a deadly fire at a New Year’s Eve party in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, following a request by Switzerland to the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism, diplomatic sources said Friday.
Switzerland has initially opted to transfer injured patients to neighboring countries because of geographic proximity and shared language, the sources said.
Sources said the Foreign Ministry remains on standby, in coordination with the Health Ministry and civil protection authorities, to respond should Switzerland submit a follow-up request.
More than 40 people were killed and at least 100 others injured in the blaze, according to the latest information. Most of the victims were Italian and French nationals.
Search, recovery and victim identification efforts were continuing Friday.
A Greek national is reportedly among those missing.