Marine Le Pen, the informal leader of the right-wing populist "National Rally," was involved in a maritime accident on the morning of January 7 while traveling to Mayotte, where a devastating hurricane had occurred.
According to BFMTV citing an unnamed source, the incident took place on the morning of January 7 when Le Pen was aboard a barge navigating between the islands of the archipelago.
The barge collided with another one heading in the opposite direction, but they did not sustain serious damage from the impact.
Unofficial reports indicate that three individuals were injured as a result of the incident, but Le Pen was not among them.
The informal leader of the "National Rally" traveled to the island to discuss local issues with authorities and residents.
In particular, Le Pen referred to Putin as a "defender of the legacy of European civilization."
During the Russian annexation of Crimea, representatives of Le Pen's political force acted as "observers" for the so-called referendum.