A UNITED States coastguard vessel was standing by a crippled car-carrier in heavy weather off South Africa’s southeast coast Saturday, a spokesman said. Terry Taylor, spokesman for the port authority in Port Elizabeth, said the USS Sherman, which happened to be in the area, responded to a South African appeal to aid the Panamanian-registered Modern Drive. “The engine failed and they had a fire on board, but the crew of 20 are all fine,” he said. The ship, some 75km off the village of Hamburg, was listing by 10 degrees in a high swell, with winds gusting up to 40 or 50 knots, he said. It had been en route from Fremantle, Australia, to Brazil. A tug despatched from the South African port of East London was expected to take the Modern Drive in tow Saturday evening. – AFP