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Mexico ‘deeply regrets’ death of Aussie brothers

At a protest in Ensenada, Mexico, over the deaths over two Australian brothers, a man holds a board that states: 'No more violence'.

At a protest in Ensenada, Mexico, over the deaths over two Australian brothers, a man holds a board that states: 'No more violence'. Photo: AAP

Mexico’s foreign minister has offered her condolences and “deep regrets” to the family of two Australian brothers killed on a surfing trip.

The statement came a day after the parents of Callum, 33, and Jake Robinson, 30, identified their bodies in a Mexican morgue.

The Perth brothers’ bodies were found in a well at the weekend, along with the body of their American friend Carter Rhoad, 30. Authorities are investigating their deaths as murder.

On Tuesday (Australian time), Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena offered condolences to the brothers’ parents, Debra and Martin Robinson. Her office said it “expresses its solidarity with the families of the victims in the face of this tragic event and deeply regrets the outcome of the events”.

Earlier, federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the identification of the bodies was “frankly horrendous news”.

“I think the whole country’s heart goes out to all of their loved ones. It has been an absolutely horrendous, absolutely horrific ordeal and our thoughts are with all of them,” he said.

jake callum robinson

The bodies of Perth siblings Jake and Callum Robinson have been identified by their parents.

The Robinson brothers were in northern Mexico on a surfing holiday when they failed to check into pre-arranged accommodation near the city of Ensenada.

Western Australian Premier Roger Cook said the situation was incredibly sad for the family and friends.

“Everyone from Western Australia is hurting as we hear from more aspects of this story, the violence they were exposed to and of course the loss of life,” he said.

Callum was a member of Australia’s national lacrosse team and Lacrosse Australia said its thoughts were with the loved ones of all three victims.

“Lacrosse Australia is deeply saddened by the deaths of player Callum Robinson, Callum’s brother Jake Robinson and their friend Jack (Carter) Rhoad and send our deepest condolences to their families, friends and teammates,” the association posted on Facebook.

About 150 people gathered for a vigil in San Diego where Callum lived, the American ABC network reported.

Callum also played lacrosse at Maryland’s Stevenson University and former coach Paul Cantabene said he got along with everyone while being “big, fast, rigid and flat-out just good” on the playing field.

Earlier this week, the Robinsons travelled to Baja California state in northern Mexico, and were taken to view two bodies found at the bottom of a well.

The remains were found with the body of Rhoad, and a corpse that had likely been there for some time, in the well on a clifftop on Baja Peninsula on Mexico’s west coast on Saturday.

Baja California state prosecutors said relatives from the two countries had viewed the corpses recovered from the remote 15-metre-deep well.

Thieves apparently killed the three men to steal their truck because they wanted the tyres. They they allegedly dumped the bodies in the well, about six kilometres away.

Three suspects are being held in connection with the case, which locals said was solved far quicker than the disappearances of thousands of Mexicans.

Baja California prosecutors confirmed last week they were questioning three people.

A criminal charge of forced disappearance, equivalent to kidnapping, was laid against one of the three on Saturday.

Mexican authorities’ preliminary hypothesis is that the suspects tried to carjack the trio and the surfers resisted.

They found a burnt-out white ute, believed to be the vehicle in which the men were travelling when they disappeared.

The chief state prosecutor’s office said evidence found along with abandoned tents at a burnt-out campsite was linked to the three people being questioned.

Local news outlet Zeta reported the fourth body in the well was believed to be that of the property’s missing owner.

-with AAP

Topics: Mexico
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