US Warship Loses Power for Four Days in South China Sea: What Happened?
A United States (US) warship experienced a loss of electrical power for four days while sailing in the waters of the South China Sea last month. What was the cause?
The loss of electrical power meant the US warship was unable to sail and had to be towed to Philippine waters.
The situation, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Tuesday (18/8/2026), was disclosed by the spokesman for the US Navy’s 7th Fleet, Commander Matthew Comer, in a recent statement. The US Navy’s 7th Fleet is known to operate in the waters of the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean.
Comer told USNI News that the incident occurred on the USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, in July.
Comer said the loss of electrical power on the US warship was caused by a technical system failure.
“On 24 July 2026, while conducting routine operations in the Indo-Pacific region, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) reported a technical fault in a generator that caused a loss of electrical power,” Comer said in his statement.
“There were no injuries among the crew, who demonstrated resilience, perseverance, professionalism, and steadfast composure in responding to the situation,” he said.
According to Comer’s statement, the loss of electrical power meant the crew of the US warship were without galley services, access to toilets, and air conditioning (AC), and it also affected the availability of clean water on board.
The USS Benfold is one of the US warships sailing alongside the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which was recently deployed to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln.
During the incident, the USS George Washington provided support to the USS Benfold.
Assistance was also provided by the USS Robert Smalls, a cruiser that is part of the same carrier strike group. According to Comer, the USS Robert Smalls helped provide food to the crew of the USS Benfold.
The cause of the loss of electrical power is still being thoroughly investigated by US military authorities.