About 50 Sri Lankan asylum seekers are refusing to get off their boat which is stranded next to an Indonesian island.

The boat ran out of diesel last week and had to be towed to the Mentawi islands.

It is one of two boats, carrying 93 Sri Lankan asylum seekers, which had to be brought to safety there.

The passengers of one boat agreed to come ashore, but 53 people are demanding to be given 2,000 litres of fuel so they can continue to Christmas Island.

The regional head of immigration, Elfinur, says authorities cannot give them petrol because that would amount to participating in people smuggling and would also violate Indonesian immigration law.

He says the asylum seekers still have some food on board and he is happy to give them more food.

He says they have been offered temporary accommodation in a town hall but they are refusing to leave the boat.