South china sea: The USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, experienced a four-day power loss last month in the South China Sea due to an engineering failure.

According to Anadolu Agency, Cmdr. Matthew Comer, spokesperson for the US 7th Fleet, stated that on July 24, 2026, the USS Benfold reported an engineering casualty involving its generators, which resulted in a complete loss of power while the ship was conducting routine operations in the Indo-Pacific region.

The statement highlighted that the crew remained unharmed and demonstrated resilience and professionalism in their response to the situation. However, the power outage significantly impacted daily operations on the ship, leaving sailors without galley services, toilets, air conditioning, and affecting the availability of potable water.

During the incident, support was provided by the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, with which the Benfold was sailing. Specifically, the USS Robert Smalls, a cruiser in the strike group, assisted by providing meals for the crew, as mentioned by Comer.

An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the engineering failure.