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At least 44 refugees die after two boats sink off Greece coast

Earlier, the Greek coastguard said 48 survivors made it to shore of Farmakonisi, which lies west of Turkey in the Aegean Sea, after their boat struck rocks early on Friday (local time).

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At least 41 people lost their lives in two tragedies in the Aegean Sea on Friday, when boats carrying refugees and migrants from the Turkish shores to the Greek islands capsized, Greek Coast Guard announced.

It was not clear why the vessel capsized, the official said.

More than a million people entered Europe previous year in the largest migration since the end of the Second World War. Other countries, led by Hungary, have blocked or restricted them from entering and resisted plans to share the burden of refugees.

Thirty-four people, mostly women and children, died when their boat sank off of the island of Kalolimnos, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard.

In both Greek and Turkish territorial waters, more than 700 migrants died or were reported as missing past year.

A total of 42 migrants are reported to have drowned overnight in two separate shipwrecks in the Aegean Sea.

One went down off the coast of the island of Kalolimnos, and the coast guard said it has recovered the bodies of 16 women, 11 children and seven men.

Today, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is meeting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Berlin to discuss the crisis. The coastguard recovered 14 bodies – two children, nine women and three men.

Under a November deal with the EU, Ankara had already agreed to reduce the number of migrants coming through, but between 2,000 and 3,000 people are still arriving daily in Greece from Turkey.

They also rescued 26 people so far, sending them to Leros island.

“We are doing studies of that and it is impressive”, she said, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Survivors try to warm up at Kalymnos island.

“Common sense has prevailed”, Viktor Orban said Friday on state radio, calling the Austrian decision “the most important news of the past months”.

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“Instead of focusing on building fences and tightening border controls, we are calling on European leaders to take action to ensure no more children lose their lives senselessly”, she said.

The Latest: At least 21 die in boat sinkings in Greece