Pope Francis arrives on Greek island to meet with refugees

Lesbos: Pope Francis on Saturday arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos for a high-profile visit to put pressure on a controversial EU deal with Turkey to tackle an unprecedented refugee crisis.

The pontiff arrived at Lesbos airport, an AFP reporter said, for a five-hour visit during which he will spend time with refugees alongside Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew, Church of Greece head Archbishop Ieronymos and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

"This is a voyage marked by sadness, a sad voyage," the pope told reporters during the flight from Rome.

"We will witness the worst humanitarian disaster since the Second World War. We will see so many people who are suffering, who are fleeing and do not know where to go," he said.

"And we are also going to a cemetery, the sea. So many people never arrived," he said.