Migrant death toll mounts: 20 children among dozens to die in three boat capsizes

More than 40 people, including 20 children, have drowned after boats carrying migrants capsized in three separate incidents. The bodies of 16 women, 11 children and seven men were recovered after a wooden boat went down off the the island of Kalolimnos on Friday. Another 25 people were rescued, said coastguards. Earlier in the day, in a separate incident, another wooden boat sank off the island of Farmakonissi. Eight bodies, including those of six children, were recovered from the sea but 40 people made it to shore and one girl was rescued. Meanwhile, the Turkish coastguard has found the bodies of three children after their boat sank off the beach resort of Didim.

If Europe is not capable of protecting its own borders, it’s the very idea of Europe that will be questioned.

French prime minister Manuel Valls

The latest drownings come a day after at least 12 migrants, including children, died off the Turkish coast. Meanwhile, European leaders continue to debate how to deal with the million-plus refugees who have arrived on the continent after making the often hazardous trek to escape the world’s trouble spots. On Friday, French prime minister Manuel Valls warned Europe could not take all the refugees fleeing what he called terrible wars in Iraq or Syria. "Otherwise,“ he said, "our societies will be totally destabilised." Frans Timmermans, the EU Commission vice-president, suggested attitudes were hardening and many migrants were simply looking for a better life. He said: "We can’t have everybody who is suffering around the world coming to Europe. We can’t absorb all of that.”

We cannot cope with these numbers any longer we have to get a grip of this

Mark Rutte, Dutch prime minister