‘Families cling to hope’ after Swiss resort fire and ‘Trump warns Iran’
Families’ efforts to search for their loved ones after the fire at the ski resort in Switzerland are on the agenda of Saturday’s newspapers. The Times features a photo of a former pupil at a UK private school who is reported to be among the missing. According to the newspaper, Charlotte Niddam, thought to be 15 years old, was unaccounted for and was working as a babysitter in the Crans-Montana resort.
The Daily Mail is tracking more details about the missing teenager, who attended Immanuel College in Hertfordshire and the Free School in north London. The newspaper says she moved to France two years ago and babysat in Crans-Montana for pocket money on weekends and school holidays.
The Daily Mirror’s headline about a photo of several teenagers missing after a fire at a Swiss resort was “heartbreaking”. The newspaper reported that her parents were “desperate for news” and one mother said: “I won’t stop looking.”
The Guardian focuses on new details from investigators who believe that fountain sparklers mounted on champagne bottles and held too close to the ceiling triggered the fire that engulfed the Crans-Montana ski resort. The paper also includes an image showing the moment the ceiling of Le Constellation bar caught fire as people held up champagne bottles with sparklers.
“The beginning of hell” echoes the Sun, which fills its front page with a similar image of partygoers celebrating with sparklers mounted on champagne bottles.
The Daily Telegraph’s focus is on protests in Iran after security forces opened fire on anti-government demonstrators. The newspaper says the escalation took place despite Donald Trump’s warning that the United States would intervene if Tehran killed any protesters.
The Independent quotes the US president as saying the US is “locked in and ready” to support protesters in Iran. In response, Tehran warned Washington not to cross the “red line” by intervening in Iran’s national security, the newspaper reported.
Closer to home, reports suggest a “crisis in social care” has seen more than 6,000 people die as they wait to find out whether they will receive care, according to the Daily Express. The newspaper says the figures released by the Liberal Democrats have led to calls from campaigners for the prime minister to “get the situation under control” and resolve the problem.
Concerns are growing about the impact of stricter travel controls on UK tourists post-Brexit, says i Paper. Calls for an “urgent review” of the system have been reported for weeks due to “serious delays” leading to “border chaos” at Portugal’s Lisbon airport.
British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua “cheated death” after switching seats moments before the fatal car crash in Nigeria that killed two team members, the Daily Star has said. The newspaper states that the driver of the vehicle did not have a valid driver’s license and filed a criminal complaint regarding the incident.
According to the Financial Times, automobile giant Tesla eventually lost its title as the largest electric car manufacturer to China’s BYD after its second year of sales. According to the newspaper, Elon Musk’s company will deliver 1.64 million EVs in 2025, while China’s BYD recorded 2.26 million EVs.
