NASSAU, Bahamas, (CMC)— The  search for a boat that left the Bahamas but failed to arrive in the United States as planned, has been called off by the US Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard said the boat left Bimini in The Bahamas last Monday and was scheduled to arrive in Lake Worth, Florida the following day.

Approximately 20 people were believed to be on the blue and white 29ft Mako Cuddy Cabin vessel. Coast Guard officials said that they suspended the search late Friday after rescue teams covered 17,000 sq miles (44,030 sq km) in over 84 hours.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the missing people,” said Captain Stephen V Burdian of the US Coast Guard. “The hardest thing is that the longer it takes us to find somebody, the longer they can be drifting,” said  Jose Hernandez, US Coast Guard Public Affairs Petty Officer First Class.

Speaking just before the search was called off, Hernandez said the Coast Guard only suspends a search “once we’ve already exhausted all of the assets and the information that we do have.”