12 dead in mass poisoning at ski resort
The bodies of 12 people have been found dead in a luxury ski resort in Georgia after a suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.
The bodies of 11 Indian nationals and one Georgian national were discovered on Saturday at a ski resort in Gudauri, in the north of the Caucasus country, according to local police.
Authorities confirmed that “preliminary tests do not indicate any trace of violence on the bodies,” which were found on the second floor of a building housing an Indian food restaurant at the ski resort.
“An oil-powered generator was turned on after the building lost electricity” on Friday, police said, which is believed to be the source of the poisoning.
The identities of the victims were not immediately released but they are presumed to be employees of the restaurant, according to the Georgian Interior Ministry.
The deaths are being treated as negligent manslaughter, as autopsies have been ordered to determine the actual cause of death, while authorities have opened an investigation into the incident.
The Indian Embassy in Georgia's capital of Tbilisi said it was "committed to providing all possible support" to the bereaved families and that it was working to repatriate the bodies of the 11 Indian nationals.
Gudauri, lodged high up in the Caucasus Mountains close to the border with Russia, is becoming increasingly popular with tourists, offering a cheaper alternative to Europe's main resorts in the Alps.
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