11 Migrants Drown, 143 Captured After Boat Discovered Off Sicily

Eleven people died on the coast of Sicily yesterday as they were being smuggled into Italy. It was the latest in a string of tragedies in an area by migrant traffickers for landing their human cargos. Seven men suspected of organising the operation were arrested, accused of manslaughter, the carabinieri said.

The bodies of the dead were found on a beach and in shallow waters near the town of Gela, on the south of the island. The local coastguard chief, Raffaele Macauda, said all the dead had drowned. Another 143 people were found ashore or on the boat that had carried them across the Mediterranean. Survivors said they were Eritreans and had set off three days earlier from the coast of Libya. Last night, the carabinieri were still looking for six migrants who were believed to have escaped after reaching the shore.

Early yesterday, passersby noticed an old fishing boat grounded on a sandbank, about 30 metres off a lonely stretch of coast between Gela and Licata. An inflatable launch was ferrying people ashore.

Thousands set off every year from north Africa in rickety open vessels, hoping to reach Italy. The boats, meant for inshore fishing, are not intended for what can be a hazardous trip. Italy's Refugee Council last year estimated that more than 5,000 people had died trying to reach Europe since 1996. Two other 10-12 metre boats of the sort used for trafficking were seen in Italian waters yesterday, each laden with around 150 people.