© 2024 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Tall Ship Loses Power, Hitting Boats In Newport Harbor

SSV Oliver Hazard Perry ran aground in Newport's Narragansett Bay after losing engine power late Sunday.
U.S. Coast Guard
SSV Oliver Hazard Perry ran aground in Newport's Narragansett Bay after losing engine power late Sunday.

While maneuvering in Rhode Island's Newport Harbor, the tall ship SSV Oliver Hazard Perry lost power late Sunday, colliding with nearby boats before running aground.

Coast Guard officials say the three-masted, 200-foot civilian training vessel, "was leaving Bowen's Wharf Seafood Festival with 12 crew members aboard when it lost power and began to drift."

The Perry "hit multiple other boats before grounding near Perrotti Park," the Coast Guard said.

There were no reported injuries or fuel leaks, the Coast Guard said, adding that the accident was being investigated.

The ship was completed in 2015 after an eight-year build. It has a steel hull but was constructed in the spirit of a wooden naval vessel of the early 1800s.

The Perry, which is the largest civilian sailing school vessel in the United States, is named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, who led an American flotilla to victory against the British at the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Scott Neuman is a reporter and editor, working mainly on breaking news for NPR's digital and radio platforms.
KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.