Updated

The German humanitarian group Sea-Eye says drinking water and food is running low onboard its rescue vessel at sea for the sixth day carrying 64 migrants, as Europe haggles over where to provide a safe port.

Sea-Eye said Tuesday that it has informed Malta, the nearest port, of the scarcity of food and water for the migrants, including 12 women, a child and an infant.

The European Union, meanwhile, said it had triggered talks with member states to identify a port and countries to take in the migrants, as the nearest countries, Malta and Italy, have refused to allow port access to any NGO rescue ship.

Sea-Eye spokesman Dominik Reisinger said the "political question about the distribution of the rescued ... overshadows the human rights" of those on board.