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Migrants drown off Sicily

August 10, 2013

Six migrants have drowned off Sicily after the boat carrying them from Africa to Europe ran aground, while more than 100 others were saved. The incident comes as the number of people trying to make the passage grows.

https://p.dw.com/p/19NMu
epa03818819 Italian police stands next to bodies of migrants at the beach in Plaia, near Catania, on the island of Sicily, Italy, 10 August 2013. Six migrants have died making the sea crossing from North Africa to Italy, the Italian authorities said on 10 August. The six men were among a group of some 120 people - including women and children - whose fishing boat arrived at Catania in eastern Sicily. EPA/ORIETTA SCARDINO
Sechs Migranten sterben auf dem Weg nach SizilienImage: picture-alliance/dpa

The bodies of the migrants were found on a tourist beach in Sicily near the island's largest city of Catania, a port official said.

Italian media reported that the migrants had drowned trying to reach the shore after the fishing boat they were traveling in ran aground some 15 meters (50 feet) from the beach.

More than 100 other migrants are reported to have been "transferred" after making it to the beach and trying to flee on land.

The coast guard captain of Catania, Roberto D'Arrigo, told Sky Italia television that most of the migrants were from Syria and Egypt.

Another boat carrying about 90 migrants arrived safely on the southeast coast of Sicily on Saturday.

Many migrants have died attempting to cross from Africa to Europe in boats that are often barely seaworthy. The number of boats trying to reach Europe has increased in recent days as the weather improves and the sea becomes calmer.

The United Nations refugee agency reports that almost 8,000 migrants and asylum seekers landed on the coasts of southern Italy in the first half of this year, most arriving from North Africa.

tj/hc (AFP, dpa, Reuters)