Australian PM mourns 'tragic' deaths of surfers killed in Mexico
The three surfers’ bodies were formally identified by relatives on Sunday in Mexico
Australia’s prime minister on Tuesday lamented the “tragic” deaths of two Australian brothers and an American shot dead in a suspected robbery in Mexico.
Anthony Albanese praised the trio of “wonderful young men” killed in Baja California state and offered condolences to their devastated families.
“This is a tragic incident, and to all of the family and the friends of these young Australians, I think the whole of Australia’s thoughts are with you at this difficult time.”
Albanese indicated he wanted to speak to the brothers’ family “at an appropriate time of their choosing”.
Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson, and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad had been on a surf trip to Mexico’s Pacific coast before they were killed.
Their bodies were formally identified by relatives on Sunday in Mexico.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement to AFP that she was “heartbroken” for the Robinson family.
“Our embassy in Mexico continues to work with the Australian Federal Police and local authorities,” she said.
– ‘My heart is shattered’ –
The three corpses were found with bullet wounds to their heads in a cliff-top shaft in an “advanced state of decomposition”, investigators said earlier.
Authorities believe the men were murdered during an attempt to steal their pick-up truck, state prosecutor Maria Elena Andrade said at a press conference on Sunday.
The vehicle — which had been burned — was found nearby.
Three suspects, two men and one woman, have been detained on suspicion of involvement in the case, according to Mexican prosecutors.
Callum Robinson’s Instagram page showed several images from the men’s Mexico trip: enjoying beers with their feet up in a bar, lazing in a jacuzzi, eating roadside tacos, looking out at the surf.
On social media, his devastated girlfriend shared a black and white photo of the couple kissing, with the message: “You are one of one. I will love you forever.”
In another photo she shared, in which the two can be seen embracing, she wrote: “My heart is shattered into a million pieces. I don’t have the words right now.”
Jake Robinson was a doctor in Perth, according to Australian media.
Baja California is known for its inviting beaches, and resorts that are popular with US tourists.
It is also one of Mexico’s most violent states thanks to organized crime gangs and drug trafficking, although cartel activity doesn’t commonly affect foreign tourists.
Criminal violence in Mexico has claimed 450,000 lives and led to more than 100,000 disappearances since the end of 2006, when the government launched a controversial anti-drug strategy involving the military.
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