Greece's coastguard has recovered the bodies of eight migrants - six minors and two women - off the island of Samos in the Aegean Sea, authorities said on Monday.

Greek police found a further 36 people alive in the northern part of Samos, while a search and rescue operation was continuing in the area, the authorities said.

Greece, in the southeast corner of the European Union, has long been a favoured gateway to Europe for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In 2015 nearly 1 million people landed on its islands.

  - Reuters