Three individuals have been apprehended by Mexican authorities in connection with the disappearance of two Australians and an American in Baja California, a region marked by significant violence in Mexico.
Jake and Callum Robinson, hailing from Perth, along with American Jack Carter Rhoad, vanished during a surf excursion and have not been seen since Saturday, as reported by the Robinson family.
Abandoned tents, a vehicle, and a phone linked to the missing trio have been discovered by authorities.
A search operation is currently underway along the north-west coast of Mexico.
According to local reports, the tourists were last observed near a popular camping site in Punta San Jose, close to the port city of Ensenada.
Debra Robinson raised concerns over their disappearance through a Facebook post on Thursday, seeking information regarding the whereabouts of her two sons, both in their 30s.
“They were due to book into an Airbnb in Rosarito after their camping weekend, but they did not show up,” she wrote, adding, “Callum is a type one diabetic, so there is also a medical concern.”
María Elena Andrade Ramírez, the chief prosecutor of Baja California, confirmed that a woman and two men are being interrogated in relation to the case.
She mentioned that all leads are being pursued and that investigators have retrieved “tents and other evidence” from the spot where the three were last seen.
Australian and US authorities have been notified about the situation, she noted, emphasizing that crucial time has been lost in the investigation as the formal report of the three missing individuals took a few days.
Jorge Argoud, the operational deputy director of security in Ensenada, informed reporters that “a cell phone apparently belonging to one of the missing persons and a vehicle” have been located.
According to Australian media, the phone belonged to one of the Robinson brothers and was found in possession of the woman detained in connection with the case.
ABC News reported that police used the phone’s GPS to track her location and disclosed that she was found with drugs and had a romantic association with one of the detained men.
Located about an hour and a half south of the US-Mexico border by car, Ensenada’s surfing conditions have attracted tourists from California. However, the state of Baja California is also notorious for its violent crime, stemming from conflicts among local drug cartels, prompting travel advisories from foreign governments.