Netherlands Coast Guard Rescues 38 Adrift in Rubber Boat
The group was found in a disabled boat off the coast of Zeeland province.
The Netherlands coast guard and military police rescued 38 people adrift in a rubber boat early Saturday off the southern coast of the Netherlands, in one of the first such interceptions in the country.
The boat, which had no motor and was drifting near the town of Breskens in Zeeland province, was towed to shore by the Marechaussee military police. Among the 38 individuals on board, two were detained on suspicion of people smuggling, according to Marechaussee spokesperson Doron Wallin.
No one on the boat was wearing a life vest. Authorities are investigating the origins and migration status of the rescued individuals, with Wallin stating it was unclear where they came from or where they were headed.
Those rescued were brought to land, checked for hypothermia, and then moved to another location for further processing. While the specific origin of the group remains unknown, officials noted that such incidents are more commonly observed off the coasts of France and Belgium.
This rescue occurred in the context of increased efforts to curb migrant crossings. Earlier in the year, the United Kingdom and France finalized a multimillion-euro agreement aimed at reducing the number of migrants crossing the English Channel through enhanced police patrols and surveillance in northern France.