Refugee Crisis: No Room To Bury The Drowned

The death toll from the European refugee crisis has grown so large that authorities are struggling to find places to bury the dead, according to the mayor of Lesbos.

Speaking to the Greek radio station Vima FM, Spyros Galinos said there are more than 50 bodies in the island's morgue that do not have a burial place.

He added that authorities are making arrangements to take over a field next to Lesbos' main cemetery to bury those who died trying to reach the island from nearby Turkey.

The United Nations says a monthly record of 218,394 migrants and refugees arrived in Europe by sea in October, up from 172,843 in September.

Adrian Edwards, a spokesman for the UN refugee agency UNHCR, said: "That makes it the highest total for any month to date and roughly the same as the entire total for 2014."

Four refugees drowned and another six were missing off the island of Farmakonisi after their boat sank on Monday, the Greek coastguard said.

Eleven people, including six children, also drowned on Sunday when their boat capsized off the island of Samos, trapping them inside the vessel's cabin.

The coast guard said more than 1,400 people were rescued in 39 separate search operations in the eastern Aegean Sea over the weekend.

The death toll has risen in recent weeks as thousands of refugees make the dangerous crossing from Turkey to Greece's outlying islands.

The refugees are struggling against near-gale force winds in the Aegean Sea and cold weather.

Meanwhile, the Czech Republic will send 50 soldiers, including medical personnel, to Slovenia to help it cope with the arrival of thousands of migrants.

Earlier, it was announced that 20 Czech police officers were being deployed to assist along the border. Previously the Czech Republic has sent police and soldiers to Hungary.