The search for the two young Dutch women missing in Panama for three weeks has been scaled down, news agency Novum reports.

Lisanne Froon (22) and Kris Kremers (21) went missing on April 1 after making plans to go on a country walk near the mountain town of Boquete. They were in Panama to learn Spanish and were staying with a local family.

At a press conference in Boquete on Monday evening, at which family members were present, it was announced that the search is being scaled down.

The area around Boquete has been searched intensively several times and if the women were still there, they would have been found, a police spokesman said.

Two Dutch men

Eye witnesses said the women were seen lunching with two young men on the day of their disappearance. It is now thought those men were Dutch and are now back on Dutch soil, the AD reports on Tuesday.

Dutch police confirmed to the AD that the men will be questioned on Wednesday. It is hoped they can shed more light on the women’s plans for later that day.

Lisanne and Kris were also seen in the company of two other Dutch men during the first two weeks of their stay, the AD reports. They will also be questioned, the paper says.