Coast Guard Rescues 38 From Drifting Boat and Arrests Two

Dutch authorities rescued 38 men from a motorless rubber boat found drifting off the coast of Zeeland province. Reports of the event carried dates of 31 October and 1 November 2026. No one aboard had a life jacket. According to AFP, 36 of the men were from Afghanistan and two men from Sudan were arrested on suspicion of people smuggling. Military police spokesperson Doron Wallin told the Associated Press that two people on board were believed to be potentially involved in people smuggling while the rest were migrants. Wallin said, "We don't know where they came from – France, the Netherlands or Belgium – and we don't know where the boat was heading." He also said, "These are things you usually see in France and Belgium. We rarely see it here in the Netherlands before today." Dutch authorities said they would open an investigation on Sunday. Those rescued were to undergo checks to establish their nationality and migration status. The boat's origin and destination were not established. Officials named France, the Netherlands or Belgium among possible departure points. Small-boat crossings from France to the United Kingdom have become common in recent years; discoveries in Dutch waters are described as rare. CONTESTED No factual disputes identified.