Tall ship loses power, hits boats in Rhode Island

NEWPORT, R.I. – The U.S. Coast Guard says a tall ship in Rhode Island lost power and hit multiple boats before going aground.

Coast Guard officials say the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry was leaving a seafood festival Sunday evening when it lost power and began to drift in Newport Harbor.

The SSV Oliver Hazard Perry is a civilian training and educational vessel based in Newport.

Officials say there were 12 crew members aboard at the time. There were no reported injuries or pollution.

An investigation is ongoing.

The 200-foot-long (60-meter-long), three-masted ship took eight years to build and was finished last year. It’s named after a native Rhode Islander and famous naval commander during the War of 1812.