Venice - Thirteen refugees - one dead and the others in a state of near exhaustion - were found in the loading area of a Greek ferry in the Italian port city of Venice Friday.

According to Venetian police, most of the refugees were from Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of them were found tied under the motors of lorries that were being shipped by ferry.

The ferry was identified as the Icarus, owned by Minoan Lines of Crete. (dpa)