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United States Navy Destroyer USS Benfold Spends Four Days Adrift in South China Sea After Power Loss
Just the facts
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold experienced a loss of electrical power on July 24, 2026, due to an engineering casualty involving its onboard generators in the South China Sea. The power failure left the crew without galley services, working toilets, or air conditioning until another Navy vessel, the USS Robert Smalls, assisted with essential supplies. Tugboats subsequently towed the 10,000-ton warship to Subic Bay in the Philippines on July 28, 2026, where shipboard power was fully restored two days later. U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet officials confirmed that no injuries occurred among the crew during the four-day adrift period.
Why this is news
The United States Navy reported that the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold lost power and drifted for four days in the South China Sea following an engineering casualty.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.