Dutch authorities rescued 38 people from a rubber boat off the coast of Cadzand in Zeeland early on Friday.
The group was aboard a Zodiac, a type of inflatable vessel often used in migrant crossings, according to a spokesperson for the Koninklijke Marechaussee, the Netherlands’ military police . Emergency services, including the Royal Dutch Rescue Society and the Coast Guard, removed the occupants one by one after receiving a report around 6 a.m. near Breskens.
Two men were arrested on suspicion of human smuggling, the Marechaussee confirmed . All 38 rescued individuals were taken to a reception facility in Zeeland, the province’s safety region stated.
The Marechaussee is leading the investigation but has not disclosed the nationalities of those on board or the boat’s origin . The agency declined to confirm whether the group included asylum seekers.
