The incident occurred on 28/4 while the USS Higgins destroyer was on duty in the Indian Ocean - Pacific region. However, the US Navy's 7th Fleet only disclosed the information on 1/5.

"The problem occurred in the power distribution network. The USS Higgins destroyer lost all power, and its propulsion system also ceased operation. Everything was restored after several hours," said 7th Fleet spokesperson Matthew Comer. The US official affirmed that no one was injured and declined to specify the warship's exact location at the time.

The USS Higgins destroyer departing its base in Yokosuka, Japan, in 2024. Photo: US Navy

The cause of the incident is currently under investigation. Preliminary information, however, suggests the electrical malfunction "may have created sparks or smoke," a phenomenon that ended after the power was cut. Still, spokesperson Comer did not use the word "fire" in his statement.

The 7th Fleet spokesperson described it as a "technical mishap," a term that can refer to malfunctions related to machinery, equipment, ship structure, or control systems, leading to a risk or causing a maritime accident.

CBS News reported on 30/4, citing unnamed US officials, that a "fire broke out" on the USS Higgins destroyer, causing a power outage and shutting down the propulsion system. The fire affected only one piece of equipment and did not spread.

A US defense official told CNN that the warship's propulsion and power generation systems completely ceased operation for several hours.

Experts believe this left the USS Higgins crippled for a considerable time, with its surveillance and defense systems also disabled during this period. The US warship is equipped with emergency diesel generators, but these can only power communication and air conditioning systems.

"The warship became powerless, electronically blind, and unable to move," stated Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain.

The USS Higgins, a Flight II version of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, was commissioned in 1999 and is stationed at the Yokosuka naval base in Japan. The ship is 154 m long and displaces over 8,200 tons. It is equipped with the Aegis defense shield, a system that forms the backbone of the US Navy's multi-layered defense network.

The US Navy has experienced several fire incidents this year. On 19/4, a fire erupted on the super destroyer USS Zumwalt while it was docked at a shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, injuring three sailors.

A fire also occurred on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower a few days earlier, during maintenance at Portsmouth port in Virginia.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, a 13 billion USD supercarrier, also suffered a laundry room fire while on a combat mission in the Red Sea. It took the crew over 30 hours to control the blaze, which forced hundreds of personnel to relocate and compelled the US warship to suspend its mission for repairs in port.

Pham Giang (According to CNN, Stars and Stripes, CBS News)