Afghan refugees here within two days

By ANGELA GREGORY

NAURU - About 140 of the Afghan refugees plucked from a sinking Indonesian ferry a month ago are expected to arrive in New Zealand in the next two days.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) yesterday confirmed that people now on board an Australian warship off Nauru were ready to be flown to Auckland.

nte It is understood the refugees will arrive in two groups, the first tomorrow and the next on Wednesday.

The New Zealand Government agreed to take up to 150 refugees - mostly families and including four pregnant women - from among the 433 Afghans rescued by the crew of the Norwegian cargo ship Tampa on August 26.

Australia had refused to let any of the refugees ashore, which attracted international condemnation, outrage and legal challenges on humanitarian grounds.

IOM spokesman Mark Getchell said a plane chartered from Singapore was due to arrive at the Nauru Airport at 8 am tomorrow and depart at 10 am.

The plane would make just one stop to refuel. The Australian Government is understood to be paying the costs of the flight.

An IOM medical officer, Dr Vincent Keane, said the refugees were healthy and fit and the pregnant women had been assessed as fit to fly. One was about six weeks from her due date.

A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel said the refugees would be taken to the Mangere Reception Centre in South Auckland for processing.