The UNs eyes French Navy enforces North Korea sanctions
Suddenly, the team is on alert: A ship has been spotted with its AIS deactivated, a move considered suspect behaviour.
The pilots reroute the plane, making two passes at an altitude of less than 150m, looking for the boat's name on its stern and trying to establish radio contact with its crew.
Briefing the team before the flight, Guillaume stressed the importance of a "cordial and professional response" in instances of suspicious behaviour.
"In the context of the international tensions in the area, the goal is to avoid poisoning the situation. We have to be firm but courteous."
"FRANCE'S CREDIBILITY"A little farther away, the team spots two stationary ships, hull to hull.
A first pass reinforces suspicions: Pumping pipes connect the larger of the ships, whose waterline indicates it is fully loaded, to the smaller one, a merchant ship.
The latter is "ideal for carrying contraband, but could also simply be refuelling fishermen", a team member explains.
When contact is established with the larger boat, the crew claims no knowledge of why the smaller vessel is attached.
The French team gathers as much information as possible on the vessels to send to the UN, which will investigate for violations of Resolutions 2375 and 2397 limiting the sale, supply and transfer of natural gas and petroleum to North Korea.
If a violation is found, a case could move forward against the ships and their owners.
The team arrived in Japan from their base in French Polynesia in mid-October.
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