The now-abandoned cargo ship Modern Express -- listing nearly 90 degrees -- drifts Saturday, January 30, in heavy seas in the Atlantic some 200 kilometers (125 miles) off the coast of France. All 22 crew members were safely airlifted from the ship by Spanish rescue helicopters after a distress signal was sent on Tuesday, January 26. Plans are for a salvage operation to try to tow the ship, which was carrying a load of wood from Gabon on Africa's west coast to the French port of Le Havre, to port once seas calm.
L.Bernardin/Marine Nationale
Its 22-member crew safely ashore, the listing cargo ship Modern Express floats free off the French coast on Saturday
L.Bernardin/Marine Nationale
Salvage officials plan to tow the abandoned cargo ship to port when seas calm. Meanwhile, maritime officials are not certain why the Modern Express began listing.
L.Bernardin/Marine Nationale
French vessels including an anti-submarine frigate brought French naval experts to the area of the Modern Express for an evaluation of the ship's situation on Friday, January 29.
L.Bernardin/Marine Nationale
According to French naval authorities, the ship's listing was stabilized on Friday and it was not thought to be taking on any more water.
L.Bernardin/Marine Nationale
Worsening weather made it difficult for salvage experts to spend more than a limited amount of time on the ship as they began the process of preparing a tow to port.
L.Bernardin/Marine Nationale
The Modern Express on Saturday, as it awaited ongoing efforts to tow it to port.
