Vella Gulf crew remains onboard while ship is stricken with more mechanical problems 1 hour ago A convoy complied of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser Vella Gulf, MV Resolve, center, and USNS Benavidez (T-AKR 306) steam in formation in the Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 28. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Andrew Waters/Navy) The guided-missile cruiser Vella Gulf has suffered yet another “engineering casualty” preventing it from deploying — and it’s unclear how long it will take to fix. “During pre-underway checks, crewmembers discovered debris in a main reduction gear lube oil strainer,” U.S. 2nd Fleet spokeswoman Lt. Marycate Walsh said in a statement. “Technical representatives are onboard the ship to diagnose the issue and determine a way forward. We do not have an estimated time to repair at this time, however leadership continues to work with technical experts, who have been onboard 24/7, to evaluate and assess the best course of action for both ship material readiness and crew well-being.”
Vella Gulf suffers new fuel tank casualty 4 days ago A fresh fuel leak casualty has again forced the guided-missile cruiser Vella Gulf back to Norfolk. Here, Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Abraham Moore signals a helicopter to start its engines Feb. 10 during a pre-deployment exercise last month. (MC2 Dean CatesNavy) The stricken U.S. warship Vella Gulf got back underway this past weekend but quickly returned to port following a fuel leak in the same tank that sidelined the guided-missile cruiser’s deployment late last month. Officials are still assessing whether the latest fuel tank casualty that emerged as the ship steamed near the Virginia Capes was caused by the same corrosion and leakage issues that prompted the ship’s U-turn back to Norfolk last month after deploying with the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group.