Report: Sisters Found Dead In Seychelles Had Excess Water In Lungs

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two sisters found dead while vacationing on a tropical African island last week had excess water in their lungs and brain, according to reports from the national news agency in Seychelles.

Robin Korkki, 42, of Chicago, and Annie Korkki, 38, of Denver, were found dead on Sept. 22 in the villa they shared at an upscale resort in Seychelles, an island chain in the Indian Ocean, about 900 miles east of Kenya.

The sisters had been traveling in Africa for a month before they were found dead. They had been scheduled to return home on Sept. 24.

According to the Seychelles News Agency, autopsies were performed Wednesday by a forensic pathologist from the neighboring island Mauritius. The autopsies found no visible signs of injuries, and determined Robin Korkki dies of acute pulmonary edema, or an excess buildup of water in her lungs. Annie Korkki died of acute pulmonary and cerebral edema, or an excess buildup of water in her lungs and brain.

It is not yet clear what caused both sisters to suffer from edema, but police told the Seychelles News Agency toxicology tests are being performed at a forensic lab in Mauritius.

According to published reports, the sisters were drinking the day before they were found dead, and needed help getting back to their villa at the resort.

Korkki's mother and other family members have traveled to Seychelles to recover their bodies and find out more about how they died.

The U.S. Embassy is assisting Seychelles police with the investigation.