Three bodies have reportedly been found in the area of northern Mexico where two Australian brothers and an American friend went missing.
Mexican authorities have found three bodies on the Baja Peninsula, Reuters reported, citing two sources familiar with the investigation. The body was reportedly found near a cliff, but has not yet been formally identified.
Perth brothers Callum and Jake Robinson, both in their 30s, were traveling to the area on a surfing holiday with friend Carter Lord, an American national. The three were reported missing last weekend after they failed to check into pre-arranged accommodation near Ensenada.
The Robinson brothers last had contact with their family last Saturday.
Friends and family took to social media to call him “unusual” for not being able to contact him and appealed for information on his whereabouts.
On Friday, the Australian brothers’ parents, Debra and Martin Robinson, said they were “heading to the United States/Mexico to be as close as possible to the area where they were last seen.”
“Callum and Jake are beautiful human beings,” they said in a statement to the media.
“This breaks our hearts because we love them so much. Our only consolation right now is that they were doing something together that they passionately love.”
Baja California’s chief prosecutor, María Elena Andrade Ramírez, said delays in the investigation reduced the chances of finding the men.
“Unfortunately, it was only in the last few days that the missing persons report was filed, so very important time was lost there,” she said at a press conference in Mexico on Friday.
Three Mexican nationals, one woman and two men, have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of the three men.
The woman was arrested in the town of Manadero, about 8 kilometers south of the city of Ensenada on Mexico’s Pacific coast. She had her gray iPhone with a photo of a man matching the description of one of the missing men, as well as a small amount of drugs.
Investigators found an abandoned tent believed to belong to the missing man near where he was last seen. Andrade Ramirez also said on the same site that “other evidence has been found that may be related to these three people under investigation.”
Investigators also found a burnt-out vehicle matching the description of the vehicle the three men were driving at a nearby ranch in Santo Tomas.
Antonio Otanez, president of the Baja California Surfing Association, told the Guardian that the news of the men’s disappearance was “heartbreaking for the surfing community.”
“Everyone is in shock. We can’t believe it.”
He said the Baja California peninsula’s surfing community would hold a rally on Sunday “to show solidarity with our friends in Australia and the United States and demand safety for the surfing community across the state.”
“Some friends said they met.” [the missing surfers] Even here on Route 38 and San Miguel. He said they were really nice people and friendly. ”
Otañez said the area is not particularly dangerous for surfers.
“You think of Tijuana, you think of cartels and the mafia. But we don’t have that risk living here. Of course there’s crime. You hear about fatalities. But usually it’s a fatal accident between drug-trafficking groups. But against civilians? This situation is extremely rare here.”
But Otanes said the road to Punta San Jose is isolated.
“You have to drive for about an hour on a dirt track. And there are no lights, no electricity, nothing. I’ve been there many times and it’s a beautiful place with perfect waves. What happened? I don’t know. But it’s very easy to get lost there. It’s a dirt track in the middle of nowhere.”
A spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the Guardian: “The Australian Embassy in Mexico City is working closely with the Australian Federal Police and local authorities regarding two Australian nationals reported missing in Mexico.” he said.
“Authorities…recognize this is an extremely difficult time for the family and are in regular contact to offer support.”
The department urged people to use extreme caution when traveling to Baja California “due to the threat of violent crime.”
Drug cartels are known to operate in the area, and the state’s chief prosecutor said “all investigative mechanisms” remain in place.
The US State Department said it was aware of an American national missing in Mexico’s Baja California region and “stands ready to provide all appropriate assistance.”
“The U.S. State Department and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad do not prioritize the safety and security of American citizens abroad.”
In reference to reports that bodies had been recovered in the area where the men were last seen, a spokesperson said: “We are aware of the report and are monitoring the situation closely. We have no further comment at this time.”
Violence in Mexico spiked with the start of the militarized “war on drugs” in 2006 and has remained high throughout López Obrador’s administration, which began in 2018.
In 2023, there will be more than 30,000 murders in Mexico for the sixth year in a row. There are also more than 100,000 people missing.
In 2015, Western Australian surfers Adam Coleman and Dean Lucas were murdered, believed to have been shot dead by gang members in the neighboring region of Sinaloa, before their van and bodies were burned.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition foreign spokesman Simon Birmingham and WA Premier Roger Cook expressed concern for the surfers’ safety and wished them a safe return.
AAP and Reuters
