A gunman killed ten people and injured 35 others in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve 2024.Image: www.imago-images.de
Switzerland is in shock after the fatal fire at a bar in Crans-Montana. Other countries have also been affected by terrible New Year’s Eve disasters in the past.
Jan 2, 2026, 08:46Jan 2, 2026, 08:46
The fire in a bar in Crans-Montana VS is one of a dark series of New Year’s disasters. Over the past two decades, several celebratory occasions have turned into nightmares as large crowds flock to welcome the New Year. An overview of the worst events:
2024/2025: Shooting spree in New Orleans
A former US soldier carrying an Islamic State terrorist militia flag drives his car into a crowd of people celebrating the New Year in the tourist district of New Orleans in the southern US. He kills at least ten people and injures 35 others. After running over dozens of passers-by, the man is killed in a shootout with police. Two police officers are injured.
2016/2017: Attack in a Turkish discotheque
A man spreads chaos and death in one of Istanbul’s most exclusive nightclubs. The attacker kills 39 people, including at least 15 foreigners celebrating the New Year. At the beginning of 2017, around 700 to 800 people are in the discotheque on the banks of the Bosphorus. Some of them jump into the icy waters of the strait to escape the deadly shots.
2013/2014: Mass panic in China
At least 36 people die and 47 others are injured when mass panic breaks out during New Year celebrations in the Chinese metropolis of Shanghai. This is triggered by throwing fake banknotes over the crowd. It was the worst disaster in Shanghai since 58 people died in a house fire in 2010.
2011/2012: Mass panic in a district of Abidjan
Around 60 people, including many young people, die and around 50 others are injured when mass panic breaks out during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Abidjan. According to Ivory Coast authorities, more than 50,000 people gathered to watch the New Year’s fireworks display.
2007/2008: Fire in a nightclub in Bangkok
A fire, probably caused by fireworks or an electrical fault, spreads through a club in Bangkok. The accident claims 67 lives. There are also more than 220 injured, most from suffocation or burns. The drama sparks a critical review of safety standards in Thailand’s entertainment venues. (sda)
More on the Crans-Montana disaster: