Sameer Kumar, who only arrived in Georgia a few months ago, died alongside the couple, Ravinder Singh and Gurvinder Kaur, above an Indian restaurant in Gudauri, relatives say.

Georgia’s ministry of internal affairs said it believed the 12 victims – including one Georgian national – died after being poisoned by carbon monoxide.

The Indian government has said it is in touch with the victims’ families and is working to bring back the bodies of those who died in the incident.

The initial investigation show no signs of violence or injuries on the bodies, which were discovered on Saturday, the Georgian ministry said in a statement.

It is thought the incident occurred after a power generator, placed near the bedrooms, was turned on after the building’s electricity was switched off.

Authorities are working to determine whether the deaths could lead to charges of “negligent manslaughter”.

Carbon monoxide is an odourless gas, and is known as the “silent killer”. It is produced after the incomplete burning of fossil fuels. The gas, if inhaled, prevents oxygen from being carried by the blood in the body. This can lead to poisoning and can be fatal.

The bodies of 11 foreigners and one Georgian national were found in a sleeping area above a restaurant at the ski station of Gudauri in the north of the country, according to officials.

Police said “preliminary tests do not indicate any trace of violence on the bodies” and it appeared to be an accident, the AFP news agency reported.

Gudauri is the largest and highest ski resort in the former Soviet state.

An investigation has now been launched into the deaths. The ministry is reportedly treating the deaths as involuntary manslaughter, which carries a prison sentence of three to five years in the event of the deaths of more than two people.

Investigators discovered that a power generator located close to the 12 rooms was switched on the day before following a power outage. “An oil-powered generator was turned on after the building lost electricity” on Friday, police said. They are now trying to establish whether this could have been the cause of the carbon monoxide build-up.

Autopsies have now been ordered to establish the exact cause of death of the victims. Their identities have not yet been released.

Gudauri is the largest and highest ski resort in the former Soviet state. It is located on the south-facing plateau of The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range. It lies 75mi north of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, at an elevation of 7,200ft above sea level.