Dutch Authorities Rescue 38 People Adrift in Rubber Boat Off Zeeland Coast

Dutch authorities rescued 38 people found adrift in a rubber boat off the coast of Zeeland province on Saturday, military police said. All those on board were men, and no one was wearing a life vest.

The motorless dinghy was discovered drifting far southwest of Amsterdam. Authorities said they do not know where the boat came from or where it was heading, and they are still trying to establish its point of origin.

Of the 38 people rescued, 36 were from Afghanistan and two were from Sudan. The two Sudanese men are suspected of people smuggling and have been arrested, military police spokesperson Doron Wallin told The Associated Press and AFP. Wallin said two of the people on board are thought to be smugglers, while the rest are migrants.

Refugee and migrant boats are rarely found in Dutch waters, Wallin said. He noted that such incidents are usually seen in France and Belgium, adding, "These are things you usually see in France and Belgium. We rarely see it here in the Netherlands before today." Small-boat crossings from France to the United Kingdom have become commonplace in recent years, though it is unusual for boats to be discovered in Dutch waters.

The rescue is described as one of the first such interceptions for the country. Authorities have not determined whether the vessel originated in France, the Netherlands, or Belgium.

Dutch authorities will open an investigation into the case on Sunday.

Source: Al Jazeera.