Authorities locate bodies of missing Australian, American tourists in Mexico's Baja California

Three bodies were found in Mexico's Baja California state, the FBI informed on Friday (May 3), where two Australians and an American went missing last week during a surfing trip in an area hit by cartel violence.

"We confirm that three individuals were found deceased in Santo Tomas, Baja California," read a statement from the FBI's office in San Diego, California. The police, however, refrained from providing identities of the victims.

Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Jack Carter were missing since April 27. The brothers were on vacation near the coastal city of Ensenada in the northwestern state of Baja California.

However, Debra Robinson, the mother of the brothers, posted on Facebook that they never reached their intended accommodation. The bodies were found by the FBI in Santo Tomas, roughly 30 miles southeast of Ensenada.

Baja California state authorities said on Thursday that three Mexican nationals were being questioned in connection with the disappearances.

"A white pickup vehicle was located, as well as other evidence," the state prosecutor's office said in a statement.

The investigation was coordinated with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the Australian and US consulates, it noted.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese characterised the disappearances as truly concerning.

"We certainly hope that these brothers are found safely, but there is real concern about the fact that they've gone missing," he told Australian television.

After the bodies were discovered, local surfers assembled in Ensenada, the nearest city, and staged a protest overa lack of safety in the state.

"They only wanted to surf - we demand safe beaches," said a sign held by one woman.

Some of them later took part in a 'paddle-out' ceremony in remembrance of the three men, forming a circle with their boards in the sea and throwing flowers.

Baja California, known for its inviting beaches, is also one of Mexico's most violent states due to the organised crime groups.

In November 2015, two other Australian surfers, Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman, were murdered and their bodies burntwhile travelling in the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa.

(With inputs from agencies)