More Sierra Leoneans found in Sydney

Another six of the athletes reported missing from the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne have turned up in Sydney.

The six men from Sierra Leone made contact this morning with the Northern Beaches Refugee Sanctuary - the group that had already given shelter and help to six other missing athletes from the troubled African nation.

Sanctuary chairman David Addington said he met the latest group at Central Station in Sydney late this morning and escorted them across the road to the Department of Immigration.

He said that they would be joining their team-mates in applying to stay in Australia.

"We would hope that they would get the same sort of treatment as the six yesterday, that they would get some sort of bridging visa, so that they can seek some legal advice and they can be settled in the community for two weeks until things are resolved, and they can put their stories to the Immigration Department," he said.

Yesterday six Sierra Leonean athletes were granted bridging visas after being taken in by the Refugee Sanctuary.

Members of the group told Radio Australia they feared for their safety if they were forced to return to Sierra Leone.

Originally 14 of the nation's 22-strong Games delegation were reported missing, meaning that two are still unaccounted for.

Police are also searching for nine Cameroon athletes, a Tanzanian boxer and a Bangladeshi runner.

- RADIO AUSTRALIA