A Bulgarian is on board the cargo ship Aqua Sierra that has been stranded in Liberia for three days and nights, Reuters reported.

"We're prisoners. But believe me, prisoners get better treatment," the agency cited captain Daragn Markovic, 36, as saying.

The fighting in Liberia's capital between government troops and rebels has stopped for now and residents are timidly returning home, but for Markovic and his multinational crew of 24 are cut off by fighting near the port. There has been no way the crew could be pulled to safety by the French special forces who helicoptered out more than 500 foreigners from Monrovia last week.

Hundreds foreigners have escaped on commercial shuttle flights to neighbouring African countries, but the ship crew have no money for plane tickets since they have not been paid for 16 months.

Markovic and three other crew members are from Montenegro. Besides the Bulgarian, also on board are a Peruvian, a Ukrainian and 17 nationals of Myanmar.

The ship's engine broke down off Senegal, then they drifted for 35 days to Monrovia. They have been there for three months.