What happened to Australian surfers Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman?

The families of two West Australian surfers who went missing during a surfing trip in Mexico say they “hold deep fears for the safety of their sons” after a pair of bodies was found in a burnt out van, similar to the one they were travelling in.

Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman went missing a week ago and while their fates remain unclear, their families are worried a “tragic event” has occurred.

“The families and partners are aware the van in which they were travelling has been located by Mexican authorities and that a tragic event has occurred,” the families said in a statement released by DFAT on Sunday.

“The families hold deep fears for the safety of their sons but stress that they are still waiting for details to be confirmed.”

Lucas’ girlfriend, Josie Cox, also confirmed her fears for her partner in a post on her Facebook.

The van, a Chevrolet with a bicycle on the back and a spare tyre like theirs, was found in the state of Sinaloa — considered one of the most dangerous and violent places in the country.

“Nothing is confirmed, it’s just a similar van,” Ms Cox told ABC News.

“(It’s) most likely theirs but I’m keeping positive it’s not.”

Ms Cox, who has been behind an exhaustive social media campaign to help find the surfers also posted a devastating messagign revealing that Lucas had been planning to propose to her when he returned.

Lucas and Coleman are from Golden Bay, an outer southern suburb of Perth, and were travelling in a caravan towards Guadalajara on a surfing holiday, but failed to arrive at their destination by November 21.

The experienced surfers were known to take off from main routes and surf unknown spots, but when their families did not hear from them they began to worry. Adam Coleman’s mother usually heard from her son every few days. She also posted a heartbreaking message to Facebook.

Zanandy Cattermole, from Perth wrote overnight “Our sons life has left us, but they will be with us forever in our hearts …”

The loved ones of the two men, including Josie Cox are now making their way to Mexico in the hopes of finding out what happened to the men.

Ms Cox again posted on Facebook saying that she was on her way to get some answers.

The last confirmed sighting of the men was when they got off a ferry at Topolobampa late on Friday, November 20 at 10:00pm. Mr Lucas had been due to board a flight to London in a few days’ time a flight Josie Cox says he would never have missed.

Ms Cox, a dancer from Canada, told Global News that she too became worried when she did not hear from Dean.

“Me and Dean speak every day, pretty much,” said Ms Cox. “Sometimes we do go a few days without speaking but I’m normally told about that.”

She said that the two men were experienced travellers.

“Since he was 17 he has been travelling non-stop,” Ms Cox said of Australian Dean Lucas. “

Ms Cox said Lucas and Coleman are complete opposites, but they compliment each other very well.

“He (Dean) is shy. He likes to kind of take a step back and watch a scenario,” she said. “He’s a listener… He’s really calm and I’d say he’s very sensible.”

Josie Cox described Adam Coleman as the life of the party.

“He makes everyone laugh, he’s got some good jokes. His stories are unbelievable,” she said. “

“He’s very caring, very thoughtful, as is Dean. But they’re so both opposites in their sensitivities that they really are a good match. This is why they’re good friends because they can balance each other out.

Her desperate Facebook posts trying to track down her partner were translated into Spanish and circulated in the Mexican surfing community as well as on pages belonging to well-known surfing personalities indulging Mick Fanning.

Our thoughts are with the families and partners of Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman.