Migrants still arriving despite EU-Turkey deal

A Red Cross volunteer carries a migrant child in Greece.

Flimsy boats packed with migrants continued to land in Greece from Turkey on Sunday despite the start of a landmark deal between the European Union and Ankara to stem the massive influx.

Under the controversial deal, which came into force at midnight, all migrants landing on the Greek islands face being sent back to Turkey.

And in a grim start to an agreement designed to stop people from making a journey fraught with danger, two little girls were found drowned and two Syrian refugees died of heart attacks on the perilous crossing.

The Greek coastguard said the bodies of the girls, aged around 1 and 2, were recovered off the tiny island of Ro.

The Syrians suffered heart attacks on arrival at the island of Lesbos, Boris Cheshirkov, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency, told AFP.

Greek authorities said 875 migrants landed on the islands overnight, with about 15 boats, each carrying dozens of migrants, arriving on Lesbos alone on Sunday.

While officials said it would take time to start sending people back, the SOMP agency co-ordinating Athens' response to the crisis said the hundreds who landed on Sunday faced certain deportation.

"They will not be able to leave the islands, and we are awaiting the arrival of international experts who will launch procedures for them to be sent back," the SOMP agency said.

SOMP spokesperson Giorgos Kyritsis had said late on Saturday it would take time to implement the agreement as debt-crippled Greece struggles to cope with about 47 500 migrants currently stuck on its territory.

"In practical terms, we will need the structures and personnel to be ready and this will take a little more than 24 hours," Kyritsis told AFP.