Teen sailor Abby Sunderland says she’s proud of sailing more than 12,000 miles

Teen sailor says she’s proud of achievement

MARINA DEL REY, Calif. — Teen sailor Abby Sunderland says she’s happy to be home in California but sad that she wasn’t able to complete her attempt to sail around the world by herself.

The 16-year-old told a press conference in Southern California that she’s proud of he achievement in sailing more than 12,000 nautical miles.

Sunderland’s voyage ended when a wave rolled her boat in the southern Indian Ocean and snapped her mast.

Sunderland’s mother is pregnant with her eighth child, and Sunderland says she may have a new little brother before her press conference is over.

A statement issued by her parents says they have been subjected to intense personal criticism that has crossed the line of decency.

Sunderland has defended her sailing attempt.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

MARINA DEL REY, Calif. (AP) — The teenage girl forced to abandon her dream of sailing around the world is returning to the port where her journey began five months ago.

But 16-year-old Abby Sunderland won’t be returning to Marina del Rey in the boat in which she left last Jan. 23.

Sunderland, who had to be rescued from the Indian Ocean, was forced to abandon her 40-foot boat after it was badly damaged by a storm.

She flew home to California Monday night and planned to talk about her adventure at a news conference at a marina hotel on Tuesday.

Sunderland, who has been sailing since she was a toddler, had left California hoping to become the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe solo and nonstop.

A fierce storm in the Indian Ocean destroyed her boat’s mast.