Merkel to meet Balkan leaders over crisis

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and western Balkan leaders were scheduled to gather in Vienna on Thursday in a bid to find a coherent approach to tackling the biggest migration crisis to hit Europe since World War II.

The meeting comes a day after Merkel vowed zero tolerance for "vile" anti-migrant violence and as criticism grows against the European Union for failing to coordinate a solution.

With the situation spiraling further on Wednesday, rescuers found 55 more corpses on stricken boats in the Mediterranean, adding to a toll of more than 2,300 people who have drowned while attempting the perilous crossing since the beginning of 2015.