Missing Surfers Search: Burnt-Out Van Found

Fears are growing for two missing Australians after a burned-out van - reportedly with bodies inside - was found in an area of Mexico known for its violent drug gangs.

Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman were due to arrive in Guadalajara on 21 November after setting off from Edmonton in Canada.

The two friends, both 33, are said to have been travelling through the night on their way to a surfing trip.

Their families said they were still waiting for confirmation but are aware Mexican officials have found their van in Sinaloa state and that "a tragic event has occurred".

"Everything points to it being them because the van matches; it had a bicycle. But nothing is confirmed yet," said Andrea Gomez, Mr Coleman’s girlfriend.

Mexican media showed pictures of the van and reported two burnt bodies were found inside, but authorities have yet to comment on what they found.

Ms Gomez told Associated Press she was heading to Sinaloa with Mr Lucas’s girlfriend, Josie Cox, to provide samples for analysis - "pieces of dreadlocks" from Mr Coleman and dental records from Mr Lucas.

"Josie is arriving from Canada today and early Monday we are going to leave for Culiacan to see the bodies and do DNA tests," said Ms Gomez.

She said the men had been due to meet up with her in Guadalajara: "They were hurrying to get here; that's why they were travelling at night."

Someone claims to have seen the men on the night of 20 November, looking for a map in a convenience store in the town of Los Mochis.

But Ms Gomez said they "don't know what is true and what is not" after continuing to get messages from people who think they saw the pair.

Josie Cox posted on Facebook that she discovered her boyfriend was planning to propose.

"Just found out when and how Dean Lucas was gonna propose to me!" she wrote.

On Sunday, in her most recent post, she said: "Never felt so alone and useless ... on my way to get some answers."

Sinaloa state is home to one of Mexico’s notorious drug gangs, the Sinaloa Federation, headed by on-the-run Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman who broke out of jail through a tunnel in July.

Called "the most powerful drug trafficking organisation in the world" by the US intelligence community, the cartel has a presence in 47 countries and is linked to numerous killings and kidnappings.

Their territory stretches down Mexico's Pacific coast and is likely to have taken in the men's route from western Canada to Guadalajara.

A fundraising page to support the families in getting to Mexico has now raised more than $32,000 (£21,000) and the hashtag #finddeanandadam is being used to appeal for information.

The Australian foreign ministry said officials are working with Mexican authorities to try to track the men down.