Netherlands rescues 38 migrants from drifting boat
Dutch authorities have rescued 38 individuals found adrift in a rubber boat off the coast of the Netherlands. This incident marks one of the first such interceptions for the country.
According to military police spokesperson Doron Wallin, two individuals aboard the vessel are suspected of being smugglers, while the remaining 36 are migrants. Wallin stated to The Associated Press that the origin and intended destination of the group remain unknown.
The boat was located without a motor, drifting in the Zeeland province, southwest of Amsterdam. No life vests were present.
Among the 38 rescued, 36 are from Afghanistan, and the two suspected smugglers are from Sudan. The Sudanese men are currently in custody facing charges related to people smuggling.
While crossings from France to the United Kingdom via small boats are frequent, such occurrences in Dutch waters are uncommon. “These are things you usually see in France and Belgium. We rarely see it here in the Netherlands before today,” Wallin noted.
An investigation into the incident is scheduled to begin on Sunday.
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“Dutch authorities rescue 38 people adrift in rubber boat”
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