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| The cargo ship Modern Express drifts off the coast of France. |
Rescuers have begun towing a cargo ship that had been adrift for five days and was threatening to run aground in south-west France.
Broadcast images showed the dramatically listing, 164-metre Modern Express being towed by another ship via a cable on Monday afternoon. It was 28 miles off the French coast.
The rescuers' first goal is to tow it farther offshore before eventually looking for a safe harbour.
High winds and 20-foot waves made weekend rescue attempts impossible.
The crew on the Panama-registered vessel was evacuated after issuing a distress call last Tuesday. The ship is carrying 3,600 tonnes of wood and equipment.
