France: Distressed freighter to hit coast if salvage fails

A stricken cargo ship drifting on its side off the French Atlantic coast will run aground in southwest France if a renewed attempt to tow it to port fails on 1 February, a French maritime official said. The 164-metre-long Modern Express, which was transporting 3,600 tonnes of wood along with construction machinery from Gabon to France, has been drifting towards the coast since its crew was evacuated by helicopter last week. Feb 1, 2016