6 Migrants Drown Off Coast of Italy

Police officers inspect boat that ran aground with some 100 migrants aboard near port of Catania, southern Italy, Aug. 10, 2013.

Six migrants drowned when their boat ran aground off the coast of southern Italy Saturday.

More than 90 others on the vessel survived by swimming to a beach near the Sicilian city of Catania or by being rescued from the boat by Italian authorities.

It is not clear where the migrants were from but thousands of people, most from northern Africa, attempt to cross the Mediterranean in hopes of finding jobs and a better life in Europe.

Most are sent back to their homelands unless they can prove they have a job or they qualify for asylum.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.