Bahamas, Jan 2 (AP) The US Coast Guard suspended its search on Friday for a boat with about 20 people on board that was three days overdue to arrive in Florida after leaving the Bahamas earlier this week.

The Coast Guard and others searched more than 44,000 square kilometers for about 84 hours before suspending the search around noon on Friday, Coast Guard officials said in a news release.

Officials have not released information about who was on the boat.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the missing people," said Capt. Stephen V. Burdian, Seventh District Chief of Response.

"I encourage anyone with information about the people aboard to contact us as soon as possible." The boat left Bimini, Bahamas, on Monday and was supposed to arrive in Lake Worth, Florida, on Tuesday.

It was reported overdue that day and Coast Guard and Bahamian authorities began searching for it.

The boat is a 29-foot (9-meter) Mako Cuddy Cabin vessel. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)