A US Navy destroyer with about 300 sailors aboard suffered a major breakdown in the Pacific Ocean last month that left it without power for four days. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
According to a Navy statement, the USS Benfold "reported an engineering casualty involving its generators, causing a loss of power" on July 24. This meant the crew went without drinking water, meals, functioning toilets and air conditioning for days.
Navy spokesman Cmdr. Matthew Comer said the incident comes as the Pentagon grapples with serious questions about the quality of life aboard naval vessels and the military's ability to supply ships during the conflict with Iran. Democratic lawmakers are calling for investigations into conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.
Comer stressed that there were no injuries to the crew, but the ship needed assistance from the George Washington carrier strike group. The cruiser USS Robert Smalls provided meals to the stricken destroyer.
Ultimately, the Benfold had to be towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines for repairs, arriving on July 28. The crew was provided food and lodging off the ship. On Aug. 8, the Benfold left port with all systems functioning normally.
Meanwhile, ships from the George Washington strike group were spotted heading toward the Middle East. The carrier was expected to replace the Lincoln, which acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said would be returning home soon. This would leave the Pacific without a US carrier presence for an unknown period.