Global Ski Community Pulls Together to Support Crans-Montana
I am currently in Canada, 4,850 miles from Crans-Montana, in the ski community of Banff in Alberta.
It is headline news in Canada with the tragedy dominating news bulletins, front pages and conversations in ski resorts.
I thought it would be mentioned in the media, but not to the extent it has been.
It is resonating with the ski community here.
It is being discussed by people in lifts and bars – the mood is sombre, reflective and sympathetic.
“It’s just awful and the victims are so, so young with their lives ahead of them,” said a man I was chatting to in the Mineshaft Tavern bar in Canmore on Thursday evening.
“People in Switzerland may have little interest to know that we are thinking about them at this difficult time, but we are.”
If the impact is felt almost 5,000 miles away I can only imagine the feeling and mood in the Alps.
One of PlanetSKI’s freelance reporters goes by the name of ‘Valais Dude’ on X.
He’s based for parts of the winter across the Rhone Valley from Crans-Montana in Veysonnez, and Crans-Montana is within sight.
Heavy hearts across Valais this morning after the disaster last night in Crans-Montana. Several nationalities are among the victims. Help line for British nationals
https://t.co/3uDe0gJHEX
— Valais Dude (@ValaisDude) January 1, 2026
See here for PlanetSKI’s main news report on the tragedy at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, updated by our chief reporter Jane Peel:
Switzerland is a country in a state of mourning and it is being seen as one of the worst disasters to strike the alpine nation.
Flags in the capital Bern are being flown at half mast for five days.
A vigil was held on Thursday evening outside Le Constellation bar with floral tributes laid.
Hundreds of local people gathered at the Montana Station Church.
The Swiss President, Guy Pamelin, said the fire was “one of the worst tragedies that out country has experienced.”
“The Swiss tourism industry extends its deepest sympathy to the people of Crans-Montana following the devastating fire at the turn of the year,” said a statement form Switzerland Tourism.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected and with the community that is standing together during this difficult time.”
One of our readers, who skis often in Switzerland, sent us a message:
“Terrible about Crans-Montana, I am so sad.
“My daughter told me about it after she saw early details on PlanetSKI.
“I was meant to go next weekend, but I don’t have the heart.”
Another of our readers, knows a family in Lausanne where two of the boys who are in their early 20s were in the bar – they have 80% burns and are in the city’s hospital.
There have been comments on the PlanetSKI Facebook page from readers:
Wendy Byford: This is so tragic.
Julie Howe: My heart goes out to everyone RIP xx
Genesis Gardening: 40 dead and 100 injured….very sad..
Melisa Beech: 
At the other end of the spectrum of reaction from individuals, King Charles said he and his wife Queen Camilla were “greatly saddened” to learn of the fire, and that it was “utterly heartbreaking that a night of celebration for young people and families instead turned to such nightmarish tragedy”.
The King’s message to the President of Switzerland following the fire in Crans-Montana last night. pic.twitter.com/aD6OI2zFeM
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) January 1, 2026
King Charles was a regular skier in his younger days, and skied mainly in Klosters in Switzerland.
Resorts across the Alps have offered sympathy and support.
Val d’Isere in France is just one and represents many.
The tragedy in Crans-Montana ranks are one of the worst disasters in the mountains.
Last winter 78 people, including 34 children, died in a hotel fire at the ski resort of Kartalkaya in Turkey.
The previous winter I skied in the resort and I reported on the tragedy at the time of the blaze from Istanbul as I passed through on my way to Japan.
The ski resort is one of the nearest ones to Istanbul.
Since the Kartalaya fire court cases have been brought and jail sentences handed down.
It remains to be seen what happens in Crans-Montana as the investigations have only just begun, but many people question why the fire spread so quickly and caused such loss of life.
The authorities say they will be thorough and rigorous in their investigation, with criminal charges brought if necessary.
The tragedy in Crans-Montana ranks alongside some of the other major alpine disasters in recent years:
- Kaprun, November 2000
A fire in the tunnel of Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular killed 155 people. Most of the victims were skiers on their way to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier in Austria with a large number of children from the village heading to ski camps.
- Galtur, February 1999
A huge powder avalanche struck the Austrian village destroying buildings and burying 57 people. 31 died. The avalanche was 50m high and travelled at 290 km/h. It was considered the worst Alpine avalanche in 40 years.
- Montroc, February 1999
Twelve people in the village lost their lives in an avalanche. Multiple structures were either damaged or completely destroyed due to the force of the avalanche that hit the village near Le Tour. It was one of the most destructive avalanches in the French Alps since 1970.
Offers have support have been flooding in.
The neighbouring countries of France, Germany and Italy were among the first.
Other countries have offered help, including Poland, Croatia and Israel.
While here in Canada ski life, of course, continues despite news of the tragedy – but it has been keenly felt.
In the Alps the scars will be much deeper and lives never be the same again.
What is not in doubt is the united and global nature of those of us that ski and snowboard.
Wherever we are in the world.
We are a community.
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