SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — A source with the Baja California Attorney General’s office has confirmed the bodies of three missing surfers — two from Australia and one from San Diego — have been found in an isolated area about 150 miles south of the border.
The official cause of death has not been made public.
The three were on a surfing trip in Northern Baja, according to their families who last heard from them on April 27.
Families have also said they became worried when the men did not show up at a rental property near K38, a popular surfing spot near Rosarito and much closer to the border.
Baja California Attorney General Maria Elena Andrade Ramírez said it was unfortunate the families did not immediately file missing persons reports.
“Very important hours were lost,” she said.
She stated the family waited until this week to ask for help, which delayed the search.
Police officers from Ensenada, on their own, said they had started looking for the men when they saw social media posts from families who were trying to locate their loved ones.
Even though the names of the missing surfers have been made public by their relatives, Border Report is not publishing them until authorities from either side of the border release them.
According to the Border Report source, the bodies of the missing men were found in an isolated area just east of a popular surfing spot called La Bocana, near the community of Santo Tomas about 70 miles from where they were last seen near Santo Tomas south of Ensenada.
Our source said that when investigators went through the men’s camping tents, they found clues that led them to believe foul play was involved.
Investigators tracked a cellphone belonging to one of the surfers from Australia to a woman who was taken into custody.
They say she was also carrying a small bag of drugs.
Since then, two men have also been detained. All three are being called persons of interest and are being questioned in connection with the surfers’ disappearance.
Andrade Ramírez refused to call them suspects during a news conference on Thursday.
The truck belonging to the surfer from San Diego was located on Wednesday; it had been set on fire.
The Australian Consulate in Los Angeles, the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana and the the Federal Bureau of Investigation are reportedly involved in the investigation.
“The FBI continues to work with our international law enforcement partners in resolving this ongoing situation,” wrote Kira Boyd, FBI Public Affairs Officer in San Diego. “We confirm there were three individuals found deceased in Santo Tomas, Baja California.”
Boyd goes on to say the FBI can’t provide further details about the investigation.
“I cannot comment on specifics to preserve the sanctity of the investigative and legal process, along with protecting the privacy of those impacted,” she said. “We are in contact with the family of the U.S. Citizen, and we are steadfast with our international law enforcement partners in finding answers.”