PALERMO, Italy - At least 13 people on a migrant boat arriving in Sicily drowned close to the coast near the eastern city of Ragusa, apparently after trying to disembark from their stranded vessel, Italian authorities said on Monday.

Officials said the boat was carrying around 250 people but there was no immediate word on where they came from.

Thousands of migrants have arrived in packed boats in southern Italy during the summer sailing season this year with refugees from the civil war in Syria adding to the near daily arrivals of boats from North Africa.