A U.S. destroyer drifted in the South China Sea for four days without power
In July, the U.S. guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold drifted in the South China Sea for four days after losing power. The ship, which was operating as part of the USS George Washington carrier strike group, was towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines, The Guardian reports, citing US Naval Institute News.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Seventh Fleet said the incident was caused by a technical malfunction involving the generators. Due to the loss of power, the sailors were left without a galley, toilets, or air conditioning, said Commander Matthew Comer.
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According to Comer, the USS Benfold lost power on July 24 and was towed on July 28. Power was restored on the ship two days later. The cruiser USS Robert Smalls, which was also part of the strike group, had to assist with feeding the crew.
Comer stated that no crew members were injured as a result of the incident. He praised the sailors’ resilience, professionalism, and coordinated response to the malfunction.
