Collision damaged Navy ship leaving port before Matthew

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – U.S. Navy officials say the USS Montgomery was damaged during a collision with a tugboat as it prepared to leave Mayport Naval Station for safe waters ahead of Hurricane Matthew.

Naval Surface Forces spokesman Cmdr. John Perkins tells the Florida Times-Union (http://bit.ly/2dt6eUE ) the repair work was above water line so the repair was "relatively simple." He says it appears high waves and heavy wind contributed to the Oct. 4 collision.

The newly commissioned ship made it to Norfolk, Virginia, on its own power and is scheduled to return to Mayport, near Jacksonville, to complete repairs.

Mayport spokesman Bill Austin says none of the ships that remained it the Mayport basin during the storm sustained damage.

The USS Anzio and the USS Iwo Jima also left port ahead of the storm.