A Nova Scotia couple who had travelled to Mexico to attend their daughter's wedding has been found dead at a hotel near the resort city of Playa de Carmen.

A family member said Charles Mackenzie and his wife, Dorothy Mackenzie, both from Baddeck, N.S., were found dead on Monday in their hotel room hot tub near the resort city of Playa Del Carmen.

Charles Mackenzie's brother-in-law Douglas Hastings said family members currently in Mexico for the wedding were dealing with their deaths.

"I know that they're more concerned about the remains and cremation and things like that. I don't really know about the wedding," said Hastings, whose wife was also in Mexico.

Millie Harrison, a close friend and neighbour of the couple, recalls getting the terrible news.

"I just went cold,” said Harrison. “Some stranger came and held me up. I still couldn't believe it."

According to reports, autopsy results say that Charles Mackenzie died of a heart attack, and Dorothy Mackenzie drowned.

The couple was in their 60's.

An official from the prosecutor's office in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo said the deaths appeared to be accidental and linked, suggesting the man's heart attack may have somehow caused the woman to drown.

A spokesman for the Playacar Palace hotel, where the couple was staying, said the deaths are still under investigation.

Their daughter's wedding was scheduled to take place on Thursday. There's no word whether it went ahead.

"I just feel bad today because Jill is getting married down there this afternoon,” said Harrison.  “It's kind of sad that her mom and dad aren't able to enjoy the festivities."

Baddeck residents are shocked and saddened by the news. Community postmistress Suzanne MacDonald says the couple was known to almost everyone.

"They were very nice people,” said MacDonald. (Dorothy) was very outgoing. It was like you knew her all your life, even if you didn't."

Investigators in Mexico say there were no signs of violence.

“It's a real loss. Everybody doesn't know what way to get their heads around it,” said Harrison. "I don't even want to go up the street anymore for a long time and see their house empty."

There is no word yet on funeral arrangements.

With files from the Canadian Press and CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.