Twelve people, including 11 Indian nationals, have died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at a ski resort in Georgia, police have said.
The incident happened on the second floor of an Indian restaurant in Gudauri, where the victims—all employees of the establishment—were discovered with no visible signs of injury or violence, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs police statement.
Preliminary investigations suggest a generator was turned on in an “indoor area, closed space near the bedrooms” after a probable power outage, leading to a fatal accumulation of carbon monoxide in the enclosed space.
Police have launched an investigation for negligent manslaughter while forensic teams conduct examinations and interviews with individuals connected to the case, to confirm the cause of death. The identities of the victims have not yet been released.
The Indian Embassy in Tbilisi stated that it was “committed to providing all possible support” to the bereaved families and was attempting to return the bodies of the 11 Indian nationals.
Gudauri is 75 miles north of Tbilisi, in the Caucasus mountains and is Georgia’s largest and highest ski resort of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, approximately 2,200m (7,200ft) above sea level.
Close to the border with Russia, it is becoming increasingly popular with tourists as a cheaper alternative to Europe’s main resorts in the Alps. More than 300,000 international travellers visited the Gudauri resort in 2023, according to a local consulting firm.
Carbon monoxide is particularly dangerous because it is colourless and odourless, making it impossible to detect without the necessary equipment. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include headaches, dizziness, nausea, and confusion.
Gudauri Ski Resort was the site of a horrific chairlift rollback event in 2018, where several people were hurled backwards from an out-of-control lift, resulting in multiple casualties.
