Refugees drown as two boats capsize off Greek islands

Authorities recover bodies of 43 people, including 17 children, after two refugee boats capsize in the Aegean.  At least 43 people, including 17 children, have drowned after two boats carrying refugees capsized in the Aegean Sea, the Greek coastguard has said.

In the first incident, the bodies of six children and two women were recovered early on Friday after a wooden boat carrying 49 people capsized off the small Greek island of Farmakonisi in eastern Aegean.

About 850,000 refugees crossed into Greece last year, paying smuggling gangs to ferry them over from Turkey in often frail boats.

On Friday, German Chancellor Merkel said that unilateral measures by European Union member states would not solve the refugee crisis, which requires a joint effort.

"Unilateral solutions, each member state for itself, will not help us. Instead we need an overall European approach," Merkel said during a news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Merkel said earlier this week that Austria's decision to cap the number of refugees and tighten border controls was "not helpful". - Read More at the aljazeera

Refugees drown as two boats capsize off Greek islands - Al ...

Over 40 Drown After Refugee Boats Capsize Off Greek Islands - More