Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Claims 12 Lives at Georgia’s Gudauri Ski Resort

Twelve people—11 Indians and 1 Georgian—died of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at Gudauri, Georgia's largest ski resort in the Caucasus Mountains. The victims were found in a sleeping area above an Indian restaurant where they worked, where an oil-powered generator had been running indoors after a power outage.

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating the incident as negligent manslaughter, writing that "no signs of body injuries or signs of violence were detected" in a statement.

Power generators emit carbon monoxide, an odorless gas, that can be fatal when trapped indoors. More than 80 people each year are killed in the U.S. alone by carbon monoxide poisoning from power generators. Check out this helpful guide to generators and carbon monoxide.

Gudauri is the largest and highest ski resort in Georgia, a country that also hosted their first Freeride World Tour (FWT) event in 2024, the Georgia Pro. In 2018, the resort broke headlines when a chairlift began running backwards at uncontrollably high speeds, injuring at least 10 people.