US Navy destroyer drifted four days without power in South China Sea

A U.S. Navy destroyer was left without power for four days in the South China Sea after suffering an engineering failure, leaving hundreds of sailors without drinking water, hot meals, working toilets, or air conditioning.The USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer carrying roughly 300 sailors, lost power July 24 while operating with the George Washington carrier strike group, according to the Navy.The power outage was due to an “engineering casualty involving its generators,” 7th Fleet spokesman Matthew Comer said, which resulted in a complete loss of power aboard the roughly 30-year-old warship. Other ships in the strike group stepped in to assist the Benfold, including the cruiser USS Robert Smalls, which provided meals to the destroyer’s crew. The Benfold was eventually towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines, arriving July 28, where sailors were given accommodations ashore while repairs were made.Power was restored July 30, and the Benfold returned to operations Aug. 8 with its systems fully operational, and no soldiers were injured, Comer said.“There were no injuries to the crew, who demonstrated resilience, grit, professionalism, and unwavering steadiness in their response,” Comer said in a statement.The breakdown comes as the Trump administration faces growing scrutiny over the toll of prolonged deployments amid U.S. military operational support in Iran. Recent reports have detailed deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose deployment was repeatedly extended as the aircraft carrier held its posture near the Strait of Hormuz.The carrier and its more than 5,000 sailors have spent over eight months deployed, with family members reporting shortages of food and water, broken equipment, and mounting mental health concerns among the crew.USS LINCOLN TURMOIL UNDERSCORES REPUBLICANS’ IRAN VULNERABILITIES Some family members have also said sailors attempted to go overboard due to the extended deployment, prompting Democratic lawmakers to demand answers from Navy leadership about conditions aboard the carrier. War Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump have pushed back on reports depicting conditions aboard the Lincoln as dire.The George Washington strike group, which included the Benfold when it lost power, is now expected to head toward the Middle East to relieve the Lincoln.