39 people have gone missing for several days after a boat capsized off Florida's coast en route from the Bahamas. According to the authorities, it is believed that the boat could have been used for human smuggling.

The US Coast Guard on Tuesday searched for the 39 people, who have gone missing. 

On early Tuesday, Coast Guard rescued a man clinging to a boat 45 miles east of Fort Pierce. The news was first reported by the maritime security agency on Twitter. 

The rescued man said he and 39 others left the island of Bimini in the Bahamas on Saturday night. He added that the boat capsized in severe weather and no one was wearing life jackets.

The Coast Guard has said this is a suspected human smuggling case. The authorities via Twitter that they are searching for the missing people by both air and the sea.