Two British men feared dead in a double murder in Sweden had crossed into the country to promote their travel agency.

London-based business partners Juan Cifuentes, 33, and Farooq Abdulrazak, 37, are thought to have been killed after firefighters recovered two bodies from a burnt-out car on a dirt road in the coastal city of Malmo on Sunday.

The two friends had reportedly travelled for an overnight trip to Denmark on Sunday to promote their agency, Empire Holidays, and were reported missing by family members after they failed to board their return flight to London.

According to Swedish national newspaper Aftonbladet, the burnt-out car had been rented at Copenhagen airport by a British citizen before the driver and the passenger travelled across the Denmark-Sweden border. 

Swedish police said the victims were shot, with the black Toyota Rav4 rental then set on fire.

Authorities have not yet formally identified the bodies, but friends and family have confirmed the identities of the alleged victims.

An “urgent” family appeal which named and pictured the victims was reportedly posted on social media on Tuesday. 

‘It’s so hard to take in’

The men were expected to return home at 6pm on Monday “but have not returned nor been contactable”, the post allegedly said.

Family friend Yussef Amiah, 32, told The Telegraph: “It was confirmed yesterday. I’ve just gone to the mosque where we heard the news.”

The married father-of-two played five-a-side football with Mr Abdulrazak twice a week and said his death “doesn’t make sense at all”.

He said: “He was like an older brother to everyone. It’s so hard to take in what’s happened – he’s just so faultless.”