FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A Disney Dream cruise almost turned into a nightmare for one family when their young daughter fell overboard while returning from the Bahamas to South Florida, according to multiple reports.
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The incident, which was first reported by The Street, occurred on Sunday as the cruise was on its final leg headed for Fort Lauderdale.
According to local media outlets in South Florida, the girl’s father “immediately” jumped in after her, and passengers reportedly said he treaded water with his daughter for over 10 minutes before a rescue boat managed to bring them back to the cruise ship.
A social media post by someone named Kevin Furuta states that the girl fell from the ship’s fourth deck.
"Her dad went in after her,” Furuta wrote. “Right after the incident, we heard on the loudspeaker, ‘MOB [Man overboard] Port side!! Thankfully, the DCL rescue team was on it immediately, and both were saved!”
The moment the father and his daughter return to the cruise ship with Disney’s rescue crew can be seen on this TikTok video posted by user noeayala32.
No information has been released on how the girl managed to go overboard, as the ship has plexiglass safety barriers on its decks.
Additionally, when Disney crew members learned of the incident, an emergency alert was emitted throughout the entire ship as crews worked to launch rescue boats and toss life preservers into the ocean.
Disney released a statement on the matter shortly after it occurred, saying its crews were able to bring the father and his daughter back to the ship “within minutes.”
We commend our crew members for their exceptional skills and prompt actions, which ensured the safe return of both guests to the ship within minutes.
We are committed to the safety and well-being of our guests, and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols.”
Spokesperson for Disney
USA Today said, "Like many major cruise operators, Disney ships are also equipped with overboard detection systems designed to alert the ship’s crew to such incidents in real-time," which can provide a possible explanation as to how Disney’s crew members were able to respond as quickly as they did.
The cruise ship safely docked at Port Everglades Monday morning.
