Navy Destroyer Adrift 4 Days After Power Failure

A US Navy guided-missile destroyer was adrift without power for four days in the South China Sea last month, an incident that has drawn attention to the strains facing sailors amid extended deployments driven by the war in Iran. The USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, experienced an engineering failure involving its generators on July 24, rendering the nearly 10,000-ton vessel unable to maneuver independently and cutting essential services for its crew.

According to a statement from Commander Matthew Comer, a spokesperson for the US 7th Fleet, the power loss left the crew without galley services, functioning toilets, air conditioning, and potable water. The guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls, attached to the same carrier strike group, provided cooked meals to the Benfold during the outage. After remaining powerless for approximately four days, the destroyer was towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines for repairs, which were completed on August 8. Comer stated there were no injuries and praised the crew for their professionalism. The cause of the failure remains under investigation.

The incident occurred as the US Navy manages competing global commitments, most...