Naval investigation finds repeated failures culminated in the destruction of the USS Bonhomme Richard

A Navy investigation into the fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard concluded that although the July 2020 fire is believed to be arson, "the ship was lost due to an inability to extinguish the fire."

The findings, released Tuesday, found that 36 individuals —including the ship's captain and five admirals — were responsible for the loss of the ship, either by their own actions or by a lack of oversight leading up to the alleged arson. 

The investigation also took note of "repeated failures" during the 19-month period the ship was undergoing a major overhaul that "allowed for the accumulation of significant risk and an inadequately prepared crew, which led to an ineffective fire response."