Prosecutors in the western German city of Koblenz on Tuesday said two bodies discovered in the rural Eifel region appeared to belong to the victims of a violent crime.

An autopsy revealed the dead had severe multiple injuries, particularly in the skull and neck area, and concluded that there had been "severe violence."

What we know about the bodies

The bodies were discovered on Sunday morning near the local community of Niederdürenbach in the Ahrweiler district of Rhineland Palatinate state.

They were found in the immediate vicinity of the Rodder Maar Lake, a hollow created by a volcanic eruption. 

"Based on the results of the investigation so far, it seems likely that the location where the bodies were found is not the same as the crime scene," said the prosecutor. 

The bodies were probably transported to the location in a container and set on fire there. "Intensive investigations are currently underway."

According to the Rhein-Zeitung newspaper, a resident noticed a fire on Sunday morning. The local fire department arrived and then called the police.

rc/wmr (AFP, dpa)