UN despair over lack of rescues

The UN has condemned the refusal of South-East Asian countries to rescue thousands of migrants adrift at sea.

UNHCR spokeswoman Vivian Tan said the lack of rescues over the weekend was a "bad sign".

Aid agencies say a grave humanitarian crisis is in train as countries in the region refuse to accept the migrants.

People on the boats are believed to be severely malnourished. Survivors who have made it to shore say there have been deadly fights on board over food.

Ms Tan warned that "time is running out" to help the migrants.

"We were hoping that more ships would be found, and that more people would be rescued and allowed to come onto shore. Unfortunately, this didn't seem to have happened," she said.

The Indonesian authorities have told fishermen not to help the migrants - unless their boats are sinking or they are in the water.

Military spokesperson Fuad Basya said fishermen could deliver food, fuel and water to the boats, or help with repairs, but that bringing them to shore would constitute an illegal entry into Indonesia.

Some fishermen in Indonesia's Aceh province had told the BBC that they were not allowed to help migrants even if they were drowning.

Meanwhile the mayor of Langsa, the Indonesian port where many of the migrants are being cared for, has said the city has no budget for aid on this scale, and that it has received no help from Jakarta.

"In short, yes, we need some help, immediately, from our national government or any other institution, including NGOs, to take care of the Rohingyas who are stranded in our place," said Usman Abdullah.