The United States guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold was left completely without electricity for four days in July due to a severe technical malfunction while performing operational duties in the South China Sea.
Sea-news.az reports citing CNN, that the incident was announced by the official press service of the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet. The event occurred on July 24 during planned patrol operations in the Indo-Pacific region as a result of a sudden technical failure in the ship’s generators.
The total blackout paralyzed the vessel’s operations—air conditioning, the galley, toilets, and the drinking water supply system all stopped working. Most importantly, the destroyer lost its ability to maneuver and move independently. The U.S. Navy stated that none of the crew members were injured during the incident.
The exact causes of the generator malfunction are currently being investigated by fleet command.
