Twelve people were found dead in a restaurant at Gudauri ski resort in Georgia, with no initial signs of injury. Authorities suspect the deaths may be due to carbon monoxide poisoning from a power generator. Eleven victims were foreign nationals, and one was Georgian. An investigation is ongoing.

Twelve people have been found dead inside a restaurant at a popular ski resort in the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia, authorities have confirmed.

According to the Mtskheta-Mtianeti Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Georgia, the bodies were discovered in Gudauri, a well-known ski resort located approximately 75 miles north of the capital, Tbilisi, near the Russian border.

The bodies were found in the resting area on the second floor of an Indian restaurant in Gudauri, where all 12 victims were employed. In an official statement, Georgian authorities said, “At the initial inspection, no signs of body injuries or violence were detected.”

However, a preliminary investigation revealed that a power generator had been placed in a closed indoor space near some bedrooms at the resort. As a result, an investigation has been launched under Article 116 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, suggesting that the deaths may have been caused by negligent manslaughter.

Of the 12 deceased individuals, 11 were foreign nationals, while one was a Georgian citizen.

“Investigative actions are actively being carried out, forensic criminalists are working on the site, and interviews of individuals connected to the case are being conducted,” the authorities said. “A forensic medical examination has also been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.”

Gudauri is the largest and most modern ski resort in Georgia, renowned for its excellent infrastructure, which offers the highest level of access for skiing and freestyle opportunities in an open environment. The resort is situated at one of the highest points along the Georgian Military Road, also known as "Sky Ravine Road," and is a permanent settlement in one of Europe's five highest alpine regions, attracting mountain enthusiasts from across the world.

The investigation into the deaths is still ongoing.