Mexican authorities announced on Friday the discovery of three bodies in a region of Baja California, near where two Australians and an American were reported missing last weekend during a camping and surfing excursion.
While the state prosecutors office did not confirm if the bodies belonged to the missing foreigners, they were discovered during the search for the men. Three individuals who were being questioned in connection with the case have been arrested and charged.
The bodies were found south of Ensenada and recovered through a specialized operation due to the challenging access to the area. The search for the missing Australians and American led authorities to the site near Santo Tomás, where the men's tents and truck were found.
The missing men, identified as brothers Jake and Callum Robinson from Australia, and American Jack Carter Rhoad, were last seen on Saturday and did not arrive at their planned accommodations. The U.S. State Department stated that they are aware of the reports regarding the bodies and are monitoring the situation.
Baja California prosecutors had been questioning three individuals in the case, and evidence found along with the abandoned tents linked them to the investigation. María Elena Andrade Ramírez, the chief state prosecutor, mentioned that a working team is at the site, but details cannot be disclosed at this time.
Despite the presence of drug cartels in the area, all possible leads are being explored. The mother of the missing Australians, Debra Robinson, made an appeal on Facebook for help in locating her sons, mentioning that one of them, Callum, is diabetic.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City has not confirmed the identity of the American with the Robinson brothers. Andrade Ramírez stated that her office is coordinating with Australian and U.S. officials, but the delay in reporting the men missing has made the search more challenging.
In a similar incident in 2015, two Australian surfers were killed in Sinaloa state, across the Gulf of California, highlighting the dangers posed by the region's criminal activity.