LESBOS, Greece—This island just off the Turkish coast, the biggest single gateway for migrants trying to reach Europe in recent weeks, is running out of places to bury those who drown en route.

The death toll is rising as winter approaches and the Aegean Sea gets rougher, leading to more shipwrecks and capsized dinghies and bodies washing ashore. So far this year, the local coroner had to deal with 101 migrant deaths compared with 103 deaths of residents, from a population of 85,000.Nearly 600,000 refugees and other migrants have arrived in Greece this year, most of them landing first in Lesbos, which thus also has to handle the casualties. But the deceased migrants, who are nearly all Muslims, need a permanent resting place in the ground under Islamic practice. Greek cemeteries don’t have much space that they can give up permanently. Meanwhile, dozens of bodies await burial. Recently 68 were stored in a refrigerated container outside Lesbos’s morgue. A donor from Britain paid for the container, after the morgue ran out of space.Meanwhile, dozens of bodies await burial. Recently 68 were stored in a refrigerated container outside Lesbos’s morgue. A donor from Britain paid for the container, after the morgue ran out of space.Meanwhile, dozens of bodies await burial. 

Source: WSJ

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