How Were 38 People Rescued From a Rubber Boat Off Cadzand, With 2 Arrested in a Smuggling Probe?

Quick answer: Thirty-eight people were rescued from a rubber boat off the Zeeland coast near Breskens on Saturday, 31 October 2026, after the boat lost its engine and was left adrift and unable to steer. Two people were detained on suspicion of human smuggling. No deaths were reported.

Key facts

• What: Rescue of 38 people from a rubber boat
• Where: Off the Zeeland coast, near Breskens and Cadzand, Netherlands
• When: Saturday, 31 October 2026
• Rescued: 38 people
• Arrested: 2 people, on suspicion of human smuggling
• Deaths reported: None
• Source: NL Times, reporting the Dutch news agency ANP

What happened

NL Times, reporting ANP, said a rubber boat carrying 38 people was intercepted off the Zeeland coast on Saturday. The boat had lost its engine, was adrift and could not be steered, and the people on board were not wearing life jackets.

The people on board were packed tightly together. Footage reported by Omroep Zeeland showed them sitting close together in a row. Jerrycans of fuel were found on board.

An investigation is under way to determine whether the engine fell off or was removed intentionally. That question is central to understanding how the boat came to be adrift with no means of propulsion, while fuel was still present on board.

Emergency response

A rescue operation was launched after the boat was found adrift. The boat was towed to Cadzand, where the rescued people received initial medical attention.

None of the rescued people showed signs of hypothermia, according to the report. That assessment was made after they reached Cadzand, following the period adrift in a crowded boat without life jackets.

What happens next

Two people were detained on suspicion of human smuggling. The other rescued people were taken to a nearby reception facility.

It was not yet known where the rescued people came from, where they had boarded, or where they were heading. Those details, and the outcome of the investigation into the missing engine, remain to be established by the authorities.

Frequently asked questions

How many people were rescued off Cadzand?

Thirty-eight people were rescued from a rubber boat off the Zeeland coast. The boat was towed to Cadzand, where they received initial medical attention.

Were any deaths reported?

No deaths were reported in the NL Times report of 31 October 2026. None of the rescued people showed signs of hypothermia.

Why were two people arrested?

Two people were detained on suspicion of human smuggling, following the rescue of the 38 people from the boat.

What happened to the boat's engine?

The boat had no engine when it was intercepted. It had lost its engine, was adrift and could not be steered. An investigation is under way into whether the engine fell off or was removed intentionally, and jerrycans of fuel were found on board.

Where were the rescued people taken?

The boat was towed to Cadzand for initial medical attention. The other rescued people were then taken to a nearby reception facility.