Mexican authorities have charged three people who were being questioned over the disappearance of Perth brothers Jake and Callum Robinson.
The state prosecutors office confirmed three bodies had been discovered in an area of Baja California near where the two Australians and an American had been on a camping and surfing trip.
“Three bodies were found south of the city of Ensenada, and they were recovered in coordination with other authorities during a specialized operation because they were found in a zone of difficult access,” the office said in a statement.
“This was done as part of the search for two Australians and one American reported missing,” the office said.
Prosecutors said the three people who had been arrested over the disappearance had been charged with a crime equivalent to kidnapping. It was unclear if they might face more charges.
The site where the bodies were discovered near the township of Santo Tomas was near the remote seaside area where the missing men’s tents and truck were found Thursday on a remote stretch of coast.
The men — WA brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and American Jack Carter Rhoad — went missing Saturday. They did not show up at their planned accommodations over the weekend.
The U.S. State Department said: “We are aware of those reports (of bodies) and are closely monitoring the situation. At this time we have no further comment.”
Maria Elena Andrade Ramirez, the chief state prosecutor, said evidence found along with the abandoned tents was linked to the three people being questioned about the missing foreigners.
Callum Robinson, a talented Lacrosse player, had been living in San Diego. His brother Jake, a doctor, had been visiting him for a surfing trip.
Their disappearances triggered a multi-state response from Mexican authorities, the Australian and US embassies, Australian Federal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“A working team (of investigators) is at the site where they were last seen, where tents and other evidence was found that could be linked to these three people we have under investigation,” Andrade Ramirez said. “There is a lot of important information that we can’t make public.”
While drug cartels are active in the area, she said, “all lines of investigation are open at this time. We cannot rule anything out until we find them.”
On Wednesday, the missing Australians’ mother, Debra Robinson, posted on a local community Facebook page an appeal for help in finding her sons. Robinson said Callum and Jake had not been heard from since April 27. They had booked accommodations in the nearby city of Rosarito.
Mexican authorities also reportedly found the “older remains” of a fourth person following news early on Saturday morning, Australian time, that three bodies had been found at Punta San José in Santo Tomás.
Local media reports say an intense operation — going on for more than 20 hours — was underway after the four bodies were found at the bottom of a well, about an hour-and-a-half from Ensenada.
Firefighters and personnel from the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) worked to carefully remove the remains from the well more than 15m deep, Mexican publication Zeta reported.
It is near a popular remote surfing known as the “Lighthouse”, according to reports from The San Diego Union-Tribune.
And it is in the same area of Baja California where the burnt out Chevrolet Colorado ute the trio had been driving was found on Friday.
It is understood the area is relatively remote and has a strong gang presence.