The three women from Massachusetts who were on vacation in Belize died of carbon monoxide poisoning, officials confirmed Wednesday.

The Belize National Forensics Science Service executive director, Gian Cho, said Thursday that carbon monoxide poisoning killed three American women found dead while at a vacation resort there in February.

The women’s families issued a statement saying they had been notified by officials in the Central American country Wednesday who told them the women died from “acute” carbon monoxide poisoning, likely from an instant hot water heater.