The bodies of Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman, two Australian surfers who went missing in Mexico, have been reportedly handed over to the Australian consulate on Thursday for repatriation. A DNA test conducted by the Mexican authorities has confirmed that the two charred bodies discovered inside a burnt-out vehicle in the Sinaloa area of Mexico are that of Lucas and Coleman.

The Sinaloa state prosecutor’s office said in a statement that the DNA tests conducted by the federal attorney general’s office has confirmed that the bodies belonged to the two West Australian surfers, who went to Mexico for a months-long surfing tour.

Three men have been arrested in this connection but according to authorities two more suspects are being sought. The News.com.au reported that according to investigators, the suspects wore municipal and federal uniforms to carry out unlawful activities on the highway, such as robbery. The uniforms have been seized by the police from them.

The men, both 33, had driven from Canada and reached Sinaloa on a ferry in November. The men were supposed to meet Coleman’s girlfriend in the western city of Guadalajara. Reportedly, the duo had stopped by an all-night convenience store in Los Mochis on Nov. 20, a coastal city in Mexico and seemed to be in a hurry, according to a witness.

The burnt-out van was discovered on Nov. 21 in Novalato, which is about 200 kms from the convenience store. According to state prosecutors, the men were stopped by the gangsters who were driving a car flashing police-like lights. When the men realised this, Coleman protested and got shot in the face. Lucas was then killed by the members of the gang. The dead bodies of the duo were then driven to another location and the van was set ablaze.

Huge amount of funds have been raised online for the surfers’ families to travel to Mexico and recover their bodies.

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