The two men — Holger Hagenbusch of Germany and Krzysztof Chmielewski of Poland — had been traveling the world by bicycle, but were reported missing in the state of Chiapas, in southern Mexico.
Investigators believe they may have lost control on a treacherous road between the towns of San Cristobal and Ocosingo and tumbled into the ravine, said local prosecutor Arturo Lievano.
“It's a very accident-prone area,” he told radio network Formula.
“It's a very narrow path and the ravine is approximately 200 meters (650 feet) deep. Biking there is actually a very high-risk activity.”
Lievano said the German and Polish embassies were working with Mexican authorities and had shared documents and photographs.
“We have clothes, a t-shirt, personal effects and a body” that was discovered on April 26, he said.
Upon comparison with the photos, authorities suspect the body is Chmielewski, though Lievano emphasized “DNA tests are still necessary” to confirm the identity.
The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, and the autopsy found no injuries that suggested murder, though there were multiple fractures, including of the skull.
Lievano said authorities had also found a bicycle and a shoe “assumed to belong to the German citizen” in the same spot where the body was found.
They are continuing to search the area.
News of Hagenbusch's disappearance spread on Facebook after his brother posted a message last Sunday asking for help, including the last picture taken of the cyclist, a tall man with a long blond beard.
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