At least 19 Brazilians were among the passengers of a boat believed to have capsized in the Caribbean sometime between November and December, local media reported on Sunday.

The boat was purportedly carrying illegal migrants attempting to reach U.S. shores, and was last known to be sailing from the Bahamas to Miami, Florida, the report said, citing Brazil's Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Since the Brazilian passengers boarded the ship on Nov. 6, their relatives have had no news from them.

Authorities from Brazil, the Bahamas and the U.S. have been in contact over the incident, the ministry said.

The U.S. Coast Guard and its Bahamian counterpart were permanently patrolling the coasts, but have yet to detect signs of a possible shipwreck, the ministry added.

source: Xinhua