Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has caused outrage over claims that the best migrant is one that does not come.

The controversial politician has faced criticism from human rights groups over his decision to erect a fence across his nation's southern border to prevent Syrian refugees from crossing.

His government said they were prepared to build a fence along the Romanian border if refugees attempted to use that as a potential route.

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, pictured, claimed that as far as his country was concerned, 'the best migrant is the migrant who does not come' as Europe struggles with its response to the ongoing crisis

Mr Orban praised Austrian authorities for restricting the number of migrants, pictured here trying to cross today from Slovenia near the village of Sentilj. Austria will only accept a maximum of 37,000 migrants in 2016

Mr Orban praised a decision by Austria to place a cap on the number of migrants it is allowing into its country.

Speaking to Hungarian state radio, Mr Orban claimed: 'Common sense has prevailed.' He said the Austrian decision was 'the most important news of the past months'.

'Europe can't take in huge masses of foreign people in an unlimited, uncontrolled manner.'

He added: 'The best migrant is the migrant who does not come.'

Mr Orban's comments come as at least 42 people including 17 children drowned after two smuggling boats floundered off the coast of Greece.

Some 70 people were plucked from the water by the Greek coast guard.

However, migrants, pictured here being rescued today from the sea near Didim after their boat capsized

European Union officials have complained about the lack of a co-ordinated response by the 28 member states.

Kate O'Sullivan, a member of the Save the Children charity team on the island of Lesbos, expressed horror at Friday's drownings and urged the EU to secure safe, legal passage for refugees.

Criticising the Hungarian response, she said: 'Instead of focusing on building fences and tightening border controls, we are calling on European leaders to take action to ensure no more children lose their lives senselessly.'

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Friday the 28-nation bloc faces big economic risks if its member countries start putting up walls between each other, due to the refugee crisis, that restrict borderless travel.

David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee charity, said it's important that migrants who don't qualify for refugee status are returned home - a policy often hard to implement as emigrant-producing countries such as Pakistan resist repatriations.

In the first sinking Friday in the eastern Aegean Sea, a wooden boat carrying 49 people foundered in the early hours off the small islet of Farmakonissi. Forty people managed to make it to shore, while authorities rescued one girl and recovered eight bodies from the sea - those of six children and two women, the coast guard said.

A few hours later, a wooden sailboat carrying an undetermined number of people sank off the islet of Kalolimnos, south of Farmakonissi. The coast guard rescued 22 men and four women, and recovered 34 bodies - those of 16 women, seven men and 11 children.