Authorities in the Dominican Republic are investigating the death of a young Dutch couple on their honeymoon.

The 31-year-old man and his 28-year-old bride from Voorburg died in hospital after falling ill in their hotel in the Punta Cana area on Saturday night.

The pair had spent the day on a trip to a nature reserve before dining in their hotel, said a spokesman for travel agent TUI. During the night the woman awoke complaining of food poisoning.

The Dominican authorities are working to establish the cause of death. None of the other guests or travellers on the day trip had fallen ill, the TUI spokesman said. ‘The bodies have been transported to the capital Santo Domingo for further investigation,’ he added.