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A US Navy destroyer with about 300 sailors on board suffered a major breakdown in the Pacific Ocean last month that left it without power for four days, the Navy confirmed in a statement.
The USS Benfold “reported an engineering casualty related to its generators, resulting in a loss of power” on July 24, Navy spokesman Cmdr. Matthew Comer noted in the statement. The breakdown meant the crew spent days aboard the vessel without running water, meals, working toilets, or air conditioning, Comer indicated.
The incident, which was not made public until USNI News first reported it on Friday, comes as the Pentagon grapples with serious questions about the quality of life aboard naval vessels and the military's ability to resupply ships during conflict with Iran.
Democratic lawmakers are calling for investigations into conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. News reports last week revealed that the ship, which has spent 250 consecutive days at sea, has experienced shortages of supplies, including food and hygiene products, while crew members have suffered from stress and poor mental health.
Comer emphasized that there were no injuries among the Benfold's crew, “who demonstrated resilience, determination, professionalism, and unwavering steadfastness in their response,” but that the ship required assistance from the George Washington carrier strike group.
The cruiser USS Robert Smalls provided meals to the disabled destroyer.
Ultimately, the Benfold had to be towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines for repairs, arriving on July 28, Comer added. The crew was then provided with food and lodging off the ship. On August 8, the Benfold departed port “with all engineering systems, combat systems, and crew support systems operating normally,” the statement says.
Meanwhile, ships of the George Washington strike group, including the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, were seen heading toward the Middle East. The carrier was expected to replace the Lincoln, which was due to return home soon, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said last week.
This would leave Pacific waters without a US carrier presence for an unknown duration.
[Publicidad]