- The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold spent four days without power last month after a problem with its engineering, according to a spokesperson for the Navy's 7th Fleet.
- The incident was not publicly disclosed for nearly a month.
- The issue has been fixed and is under investigation.
- All the required repairs were completed by Aug. 7.
- The ship departed Subic Bay a day later with all engineering, combat systems and crew support systems functioning normally to resume routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet.
- Commander Matthew Comer, the spokesperson, said there were no injuries to the crew.
- The loss of power impacted plumbing, meals, toilets and air conditioning aboard the ship.
- Officials told CBS News that the vessel is being protected by other air and surface assets nearby and that they wouldn't leave an asset vulnerable to an attack 'like a sitting duck.'
- Benfold received direct support from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, and meals from Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls.
- The vessel was towed by contracted tugboats into Subic Bay, Philippines, for repairs and was met on arrival by experts from the Ship Repair Facility - Japan Regional Maintenance Center on July 28.
- The crew was provided food and contracted lodging off the ship beginning a day later.
The USS Benfold, a guided-missile destroyer, experienced a significant power loss for four days in the South China Sea due to engineering issues, as confirmed by the Navy's 7th Fleet spokesperson, Commander Matthew Comer.169
The power outage, which occurred last month, affected essential systems including plumbing, meals, toilets, and air conditioning aboard the ship. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported among the crew during this challenging period.27
The incident, which was not publicly disclosed for nearly a month, prompted immediate action. The USS Benfold received direct support from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group and meals from the USS Robert Smalls, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser. To facilitate repairs, the vessel was towed by contracted tugboats into Subic Bay, Philippines, where it arrived on July 28 and was met by experts from the Ship Repair Facility - Japan Regional Maintenance Center.10
The ship's power was restored on July 30, and all necessary repairs were completed by August 7. Following the repairs, the USS Benfold departed Subic Bay the next day, fully operational with all engineering, combat systems, and crew support systems functioning normally, ready to resume routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet.5
“The loss of power affected plumbing, meals, toilets, and air conditioning aboard the ship, but there were no injuries to the crew. The vessel was towed to Subic Bay for repairs, receiving support from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group and meals from USS Robert Smalls.”
CBS News
