Authorities have reportedly found three bodies in Ensenada, the Baja California municipality where two Australian brothers and a United States citizen went missing last weekend.
Brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend, Jack Carter Rhoad, all aged in their early 30s, disappeared after a short camping and surfing trip to Punta San José, a beach south of Ensenada.
The newspaper El Universal reported Friday that “three bodies with characteristics that correspond to the missing young men” were found on a cliff in the delegación (district) of Maneadero, located about 20 kilometers south of the city of Ensenada.
A local government official in Ensenada gave a similar account to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, saying that the bodies were found near a cliff in the municipality.
Citing two sources with knowledge of the investigation, Reuters also reported that three bodies had been found in Baja California, although it didn’t mention a specific location.
There were also reports that the bodies were located in Santo Tómas, where the three men were last seen.
El Universal said that the Baja California Attorney General’s Office (FGE) requested the assistance of firefighters to recover the three bodies, which it said were located in “an area of difficult access.”
The newspaper said that it received “unofficial” information on the discovery of the bodies from FGE employees and “local authorities.”
As of 2 p.m. Mexico City time on Friday, authorities had not made any public remarks on the discovery of bodies in Baja California. Reuters said that the FGE didn’t immediately respond to its request for updated information.
Three people — two men and a woman who was allegedly in possession of the phone of one of the three tourists — have been detained in connection with the case.
The FGE said in a statement on Thursday that “three people of Mexican nationality” were being investigated “in order to obtain information allowing the missing persons to be located.”
Authorities located tents in the area where the Robinson brothers and Carter Rhoad had been camping, and also found a white pickup truck, which matched the description of the vehicle in which the three men traveled to Baja California from the United States.
Blood and “dental parts” were reportedly found in one of the tents. The vehicle was found burned out on a ranch in Santo Tómas.
In a statement on Thursday, Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar emphasized her commitment to solving the case and locating the three men.
“We will not rest until we know the whereabouts of Jack Carter and Jake and Callum Robinson, a task in which we will spare no time, resources or efforts,” she said.
“… We will take the necessary measures to solve this case because we will not allow the peace of Baja California to be disturbed, nor the tranquility of those who visit us,” the governor added.
Earlier this week, the mother of the Australian brothers published a post in the Facebook group Talk Baja to seek assistance to locate her sons.
“They have not contacted us since Saturday 27th April. They are traveling with another friend, an American citizen,” Debra Robinson wrote.
“They were due to book into an Airbnb in Rosarito after their camping weekend, but they did not show up. Callum is a Type 1 diabetic, so there is also a medical concern. Please contact me if you have seen them or know their whereabouts,” she said.
With reports from Reuters and El Universal
This is very sad and disturbing. Mexico seems to becoming a scarier place to travel.
The authorities must come down heavy on the perpertrators or Baja will lose its reputation for a safe place to visit – wherever you are from. So sad for the families of these three fine men. RIP Mates! Amigos of the world 🙁
This is awful news. Families have lost loved ones and Mexico has a very bad mark. Something like this will cause a huge ripple through the surfing community as well as general tourists. Baja will lose Millions of tourist dollars because of this foolish act.