Sri Lankans aboard a boat that was bound for Australia remain stranded off the Indonesian coast, with an attempt by two men to swim ashore foiled by the country's navy.
At least 35 people, including 17 women and five children were trying to get from India to Australia when the boat's engine failed on Saturday off Lhoknga in Aceh - a semi-autonomous Indonesian province on the northwest tip of Sumatra Island.
They were prevented from coming ashore in Indonesia, with authorities fixing the engine, supplying them with fuel and telling them to leave on Sunday.
But the boat remains drifting around 300 to 400 metres off the coast.
Teuku Izrialsyah from Aceh Disaster Management Board said two men had tried to swim to shore on Monday afternoon but were picked up and sent back to the boat by the navy.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said they had a team of people, including a translator and nurse, on standby if their services were requested.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) there are more than 13,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered in the archipelago and detention centres in Indonesia are at over-capacity.
UNHCR Asia Pacific spokeswoman Vivian Tan has criticised Australia's approach in the region, saying people are still fleeing conflict and persecution but now have fewer options in the region.
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