LONDON — Twelve people have died after their bodies were found in a restaurant at a popular ski resort in Georgia’s Caucasus Mountains, authorities said.
The Mtskheta-Mtianeti Police Department of Georgia’s Interior Ministry said the bodies were found in Gudauri, a well-known and popular ski resort near the Russian border, about 75 kilometers north of the country’s capital Tbilisi.
“In the rest area of the second floor of the Indian restaurant located in Gudauri, the bodies of 12 people who worked in the same facility were found,” Georgian authorities said in a statement. “During the initial inspection, no physical injuries or signs of violence were detected.”
However, according to a preliminary report, authorities found that a power generator had been installed in an enclosed space near some bedrooms in an area inside the resort. An investigation under Section 116 of the Georgia Penal Code has been launched, suggesting the deaths were the result of negligent homicide.
Twelve people have died after their bodies were found in a restaurant in a ski resort in Georgia’s Caucasus Mountains, authorities said.
Facebook / Gudauri Ski Resort
Of the 12 people killed, 11 are citizens of foreign countries, and one is a citizen of Georgia.
“Investigative actions are being actively carried out, forensics are working on the scene, interviews are being conducted with people related to the case,” the authorities said. “A medical examiner has also been appointed to determine the exact cause of death.”
“Gudauri ski resort is the largest and most modern ski resort in Georgia, with a well-developed infrastructure that includes the highest level of access in Georgia, unlimited freestyle and skiing opportunities in an open environment,” says the resort’s website. “The resort is the highest alpine settlement along the Georgian Military Road, also known as the ancient ‘Sky Ravine Road’. Gudauri is a permanent settlement on one of the five highest points in Europe and attracts mountaineers from all over the world.”
An investigation into the deaths is currently underway.
