.Greek authorities have picked up almost 1,200 migrants in past two days
- .Arrivals were mostly on islands of Kos, Lesvos, Chios and Farmakonissi
- .On holiday island of Kos, some new arrivals are staying in a deserted hotel
- .So far this year, some 1,770 migrants have died on the journey to Europe
Almost 1,200 migrants - some crammed onto overcrowded inflatable dinghies - have been picked up by Greek authorities in the eastern Aegean Sea in the past two days.
The arrivals of men, women and children travelling from Turkey have mostly been on the islands of Kos, Lesvos, Chios and Farmakonissi - all close to Turkish shores.
After Italy, financially crippled Greece is the main destination for refugees, mostly from war-ravaged Syria plus economic migrants seeking a better life in the EU. About 30,000 have already arrived this year.
Migrants: Hundreds of men, women and children make their way to temporary shelter after arriving in Greece
A Syrian refugee carries a toddler off a dinghy on the island of Kos after crossing part of the Aegean Sea
Dangerous journey: Syrian refugees get off an overcrowded inflatable dinghy they used to travel to Greece
Last year, hundreds of migrants packed themselves in an area that is meant to host only 35 people at Kos Police Department
On the holiday island of Kos, some of the new arrivals - mainly Syrians and Afghans - are staying in a deserted hotel.
Greece has asked for more assistance from EU authorities in coping with the flow, and EU commissioner for immigration Dimitris Avramopoulos, who is Greek, was in discussions with government officials in Athens on Tuesday.
Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey agreed on Monday to set up a common border police and customs centre to combat the surge in migration.
'This agreement guarantees closer cooperation of the three countries that face one and the same challenges... migration, organised crime and terrorism,' Bulgaria's interior minister Rumyana Bachvarova said.
The centre will be set up at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint between Bulgaria and Turkey, which also borders Greece, she added.
Syrian migrants celebrate as they arrive on the island of Kos after crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey
Overcrowded: An inflatable boat is pictured in the Aegean Sea making its way from Turkey to Greece
A Greek coastguard officer (right) passes seven-month-old Syrian refugee Jaffe to her mother Nada, after they were rescued
A young boy wearing a life jacket and carrying a rubber ring celebrates after he and his family arrived safely
Turkey's interior minister Sebahattin Ozturk explained that the centre will allow 'police and customs authorities to exchange information in real time and react to stop illegal migration and smuggling'.
Turkey currently shelters about two million refugees, and thousands of them attempt to cross the borders with Bulgaria and Greece and seek refuge in the EU.
Protective fences have been built in Sofia, Bulgaria and Ankara, Turkey to stop the flow of people.
The three countries have long discussed setting up joint police teams to patrol the border.
So far this year, some 1,770 migrants have died on the hazardous journey to Europe, according to the International Organisation for Migration, a 30-fold increase on the same period in 2014.
A Syrian refugee cries as she prays on a beach on the Greek island of Kos after arriving with her family
Immigrants take refuge in an abandoned hotel on the island of Kos after travelling across the Aegean Sea
These Afghan refugees have set up camp in a deserted hotel after making the precarious journey from Turkey
Today, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Europe must do more to help migrants crossing the Mediterranean.
He called for search and rescue operations to be 'further strengthened'.
EU ministers last week approved plans for a military operation to fight Mediterranean people smugglers, although proposals to destroy traffickers' boats in Libyan waters still need UN approval.
The European Commission has also unveiled plans to make the rest of the 28-nation EU share the burden of frontline states such as Italy, Greece and Malta, although some countries like Britain are opposed.
HOW A GREEK ISLAND BECAME A PARTY PARADISE FOR BRITISH TEENS
The sight of hundreds of migrants walking slowly to a temporary shelter after a treacherous journey across the Aegean Sea is a far cry from the image most have of the Greek island of Kos.
Over the last two decades it has gained a reputation as a getaway paradise for school leavers looking for sunny beaches and a party lifestyle.
Young British holiday-makers started flocking to the sun-kissed island, liberated from the strictures of life at home and on a high after their exams.
Kos gained a reputation in the 1990s as a party paradise for teenagers celebrating after leaving school
British holiday-makers flocked to the sun-kissed island, liberated from the strictures of life at home
With many on their first holidays without parents, it came to be known as a destination where teenagers could throw caution to the wind - often with little care for the consequences.
Many still take up on cheap flights and package deals to the Greek island for 18-30 style clubbing holidays in resorts like Kardamena.
Tourism is still the primary industry on the island and over the last few decades, all-inclusive hotels consisting of thousands of beds have sprung up around the coastline.
But many are still drawn to the island for its lush interior, ancient ruins and white-washed houses.
Many still take up on cheap flights and package deals to the Greek island for 18-30 style clubbing holidays in resorts like Kardamena
Many are still drawn to the island for its party atmosphere, sandy beaches, bars and restaurants
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