Australia, Indonesia and Norway have been called upon by international aid agencies to resolve the dilemma of hundreds of Afghan asylum-seekers stranded since the weekend in poor conditions aboard a cargo ship in the Indian Ocean.
The three countries have refused to accept a Norwegian cargo ship, Tampa, anchored off Christmas Island and carrying 434 mostly Afghan immigrants.
Last night, the crew of the Tampa made an urgent plea for medical help, saying 15 of the refugees had fallen unconscious after all the men started a hunger strike. The freighter's captain has also warned of increased tension and worsening health conditions.
Australian troops yesterday began unloading supplies on the island as part of an humanitarian aid package for the asylum seekers.
The UN High Commission for refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said they were concerned genuine asylum-seekers fleeing persecution at home might be aboard the boat.
UNCHR spokeswoman, Mrs Millicent Mutuli, said the situation was a difficult issue of international law. "It is hard to pinpoint responsibility. We would like to urge the three governments - Australia, Indonesia and Norway - to work out a solution as quickly as possible."
She welcomed Australia's offer to bring the migrants food and medical supplies.
Ms Niurka Pineiro, a spokeswoman for the Geneva-based IOM, said it would provide accommodation, food and medical services "should the Indonesian government agree to receive the group on humanitarian grounds".
The Indonesian Foreign Minister, Mr Hassan Wirajuda, said the country would not accept more than 400 illegal immigrants on the cargo boat, reversing the government's earlier position. "We already have experience with these refugees who are illegal migrants. Should we accept them? Our law will not allow this."
The Norwegian ship has been anchored in international waters off Australia's Christmas Island after Canberra refused entry to the vessel.
Some of the mainly Afghan refugees have threatened to jump overboard if the boat heads away from the island.
An estimated 35 troops and a medical team, together with food and equipment such as inflatable boats and outboards, landed on Christmas Island in three Australian transport aircraft yesterday.
Australia refused entry to the ship as it lay off the island, 350 km south of Java, on Monday.
The owner of the ship, Mr Wilh Wilhelmsen, said yesterday the Tampa did not have enough provisions, medical supplies or life rafts to make an ocean voyage and that tension was rising among the asylum-seekers.
He said his vessel had enough supplies for 10 days, but was designed to accommodate only 30 to 40 people. He said all the men were on hunger strike, while a number of the asylum-seekers were ill. The refugees include two pregnant women and 43 children.
Australia is struggling to stop a growing tide of asylum-seekers, mainly from the Middle East, sailing from Indonesia to Australia's remote northwest coast.
Over 9,000 boat people have arrived in Australia in the past two years - and 1,500 in the past two weeks. Hundreds more are said to be on the way within days.
AFP reports from Oslo:
Norway called on Australia again yesterday to take in the asylum-seekers. "From what we understand, it is standard practice to allow the refugees to enter the nearest port," the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Mr Thorbjoern Jagland, said. He said Australian authorities had begged the Tampa to come to the rescue of the ferry.
"The Australians must now welcome the refugees, particularly given the critical humanitarian situation," said Mr Thorbjoern.