A small boat carrying about 30 people is adrift off the coast of Nieuwpoort in West Flanders, with police and rescue services closely monitoring the situation.
The emergency services received a 112 call at 5:30 on Sunday from a boat in trouble in the North Sea.
Rescue teams immediately deployed all available resources, including an NH90 rescue helicopter and several rescue and police vessels.
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The helicopter was only able to locate the boat at about 8:00 because of poor visibility at sea. It was found around three kilometres off the coast of Nieuwpoort.
By about 10:00, the boat was still in the same position. It was not taking on water, but the maritime police said it had lost all sense of direction.
Three rescue and police boats remain at the scene to monitor the situation and intervene if necessary to ensure the safety of those on board.
For the time being, the people on the boat do not want to be taken off.
