Mexican authorities reported on Friday the discovery of three bodies in a region of Baja California, close to where two Australians and an American had gone missing during a camping and surfing trip last weekend.
The state prosecutor's office did not confirm if the bodies belonged to the missing individuals but stated that they were found during the search operation. Additionally, three individuals who were being questioned regarding the disappearance have been arrested and charged.
The bodies were found south of Ensenada and were retrieved in a joint operation due to the challenging terrain. The search was part of efforts to locate the two Australians and one American who were reported missing. The location where the bodies were discovered near Santo Tomás is close to where the missing 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 intended destination. The U.S. State Department is monitoring the situation.
Earlier, Baja California prosecutors had reported questioning three individuals and later confirmed their arrest on charges related to the disappearance. Evidence found at the scene, including items from the abandoned tents, was linked to the three suspects.
María Elena Andrade Ramírez, the chief state prosecutor, stated that a team of investigators is examining the site where the men were last seen. She emphasized that all leads are being pursued, including the possibility of involvement by drug cartels.
The missing Australians' mother, Debra Robinson, had made a public appeal 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 involved.
Authorities are in contact with Australian and U.S. officials but acknowledge that the delay in reporting the men missing has made the search more challenging. The case is reminiscent of a 2015 incident where two Australian surfers were killed in Sinaloa state, across the Gulf of California, in an attack by highway bandits.