HMS Pandora was a Royal Navy ship that sailed during the late 18th century. The ship is best known for its role in capturing mutineers from the HMS Bounty in 1790. It was a 24-gun frigate that was originally built for the Royal Navy in 1779. The HMS Pandora had a notable career in the American Revolutionary War, capturing a number of American privateers. After the war, the ship was sent to the West Indies to hunt for pirates. In 1790, the HMS Pandora was tasked with capturing the mutineers from the HMS Bounty. The ship successfully apprehended 14 of the mutineers in Tahiti and then continued its journey back to England. However, on the return voyage, the HMS Pandora struck the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia and sank. The crew managed to evacuate, but four of the mutineers and 31 crew members perished. The wreck of the HMS Pandora was discovered in 1977, and numerous artifacts have been recovered from the site. The ship has since become a popular site for divers and researchers interested in maritime archaeology. The story of the HMS Pandora and its ill-fated voyage has captured the imagination of historians and enthusiasts alike, shedding light on the naval history of the late 18th century.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.