With Power Out, Navy Destroyer Was Stalled in South China Sea

A US Navy destroyer spent four days dead in the water in the South China Sea in late July, with its crew sweating through a total loss of power that knocked out air conditioning, toilets, and potable water. The USS Benfold was sailing with the USS George Washington carrier strike group on July 24 when an engineering failure in its generators shut everything down, a 7th Fleet spokesperson said. The Navy did not publicly disclose the incident at the time, the Washington Post reports, and has not explained the delay. Other ships in the strike group, including the cruiser USS Robert Smalls, supplied food while the Benfold was towed to port in the Philippines, where the crew was moved ashore for housing and meals.

No injuries were reported. Power was restored on July 30, and the ship returned to operations a week later, though the Navy did not clarify whether it rejoined the strike group or headed back to its home port in Japan, per USNI News. The episode adds to mounting strain on a fleet that has seen extended deployments and deferred maintenance, with other carriers, including the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln, facing mechanical problems and quality-of-life complaints after lengthy missions.