How girl, 5, fell off cruise ship before father jumped in
Source: X
A US sheriff has revealed how a five-year-old girl fell overboard while holidaying with her family on a Disney cruise ship.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office said the girl was sitting on a railing and lost her balance, falling through a porthole into the ocean far below.
The girl’s mother immediately alerted her husband, who did not see the five-year-old fall, US media is reporting.
The sheriff’s office said the father was not holding his daughter over the railing at the time of the fall – as had been speculated online.
Security video corroborated family’s account of how girl went overboard, the BSO said.
The incident happened about 11.30am on June 29 when the Disney Dream was sailing through international waters.
It had toured the Bahamas for four days and was on its way to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when it turned back to find the passengers.
The 37-year-old father held onto his daughter while treading water for about 20 minutes until the Disney rescue boat arrived.
The BSO praised the Disney crew’s man-overboard training and quick action for saving the girl and her father, who have asked not to be named.
The father was hospitalised, although his injuries have not been revealed.
“This family is so blessed,” a sheriff’s spokesperson said. “It’s great to be able to respond to good news rather than what could have been a tragic outcome.”
The Disney crew returns to the ship after a successful rescue. Photo: X
The short odds of survival are highlighted by data showing there were 212 overboard incidents internationally from 2009 to 2019, but only 48 people were rescued, according to the Cruise Lines International Association.
The dramatic rescue was captured on video.
Passengers reported hearing an emergency alarm, which signalled that someone was overboard, according to reports.
“We heard an MOB (man overboard) call over the ship’s speaker,” Janice Martin-Asuque wrote on Facebook.
“A little girl had fallen into the water, and her father jumped in after to save her. Thank God they’re both safe.”
Caitlin Davis heard the cry of “Mr. Mob, Mr. Mob, Mr. Mob, port side, port side, port side,” over the intercom at 11.30am.
Davis and her husband watched the rescue unfold, capturing footage of the “miracle” moments.
“He’s alive, he’s swimming … that’s a miracle. He’s alive, he’s swimming,” Davis said in the clip, before discovering a child was also in the sea.
“My heart dropped, you know, at that moment … I have four kids,” Davis told ABC Action News.
“It was a miracle that it happened the way that it did.”
