HMS Curacoa was a British Royal Navy 17-gun wooden screw sloop launched in 1854. It served primarily in the Pacific Ocean and was involved in various missions, including anti-slavery patrols off the coast of Africa and surveying expeditions in the South Pacific. The ship also played a role in the British punitive expedition against the Maori in New Zealand. In 1857, HMS Curacoa was decommissioned and used as a coal hulk in Gibraltar before being sold for scrap in 1872. The ship's legacy is marked by its participation in significant naval operations during the mid-19th century and its contribution to British maritime history.

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