US Navy destroyer stranded for four days in South China Sea without bathrooms or AC - report

The USS Benfold, a US Navy guided-missile destroyer, was stranded for four days in July in the South China Sea after an engineering failure disabled bathrooms, air conditioning, galley services, and potable water. The crew was unharmed and received meals from another vessel. A former Navy captain commented on the stress of the situation, comparing it to his own experience. The incident was confirmed by a 7th Fleet spokesperson.

The USS Benfold, a US Navy guided-missile destroyer assigned to the 7th Fleet, spent four days in July stranded in the South China Sea after an engineering failure disabled its bathrooms, air conditioning, galley services, and potable water. Navy Cmdr. Matthew Comer, a spokesperson for the 7th Fleet, confirmed the incident to CNN. The crew suffered no injuries, and meals were provided by another vessel. Former Navy captain Charles Schuster commented on the stress of the situation, comparing the four-day ordeal to his own four-hour experience in a similar incident near Puerto Rico. The article also notes that the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, which the Benfold normally accompanies, is heading to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at sea for over two hundred days and has faced reports of worsening conditions.