The 5-year-old girl who fell overboard from a Disney Cruise had slipped through the ship’s porthole and down into the ocean below, according to officials, dispelling rumors that her father was at fault for the scary plummet.
The young girl, sailing on the Disney Dream in international waters, was sitting on a railing on a fourth-floor deck of the ship as her parents played shuffleboard nearby around 11:30 a.m. June 29.
Suddenly, the youngster fell backwards, through the porthole and down to the open waters, the Broward County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday, according to CBS Miami.
The girl’s 37-year-old father didn’t see the fall, but was alerted to it by the child’s mother.
He dove into the water and grabbed his daughter, and the two treaded water for approximately 20 minutes before they were picked up by rescue crews.
Officials released the preliminary information to dispel rumors circulating online, claiming the heroic dad was holding her over the railing at the time.
The family’s recounting of the harrowing scene was corroborated by security cameras aboard the ship and crew members who witnessed the fall.
“This family is so blessed,” the sheriff’s office said. “It’s great to be able to respond to good news rather than what could have been a tragic outcome.”
The ship was sailing between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale when the ship’s captain announced “Mr. Mop Portside,” a signal to the crew onboard alerting them of a possible man overboard on the port (left) side of the ship.
Deck 4, where the girl and her family were when she fell, is less crowded than the other decks on the ship, and contains shuffleboard courts, one passenger revealed to CBS Miami.
A protective barrier is in place on the deck, although there were “little divots and spaces that make it so that you can climb,” passenger Monica Shannon told the local outlet.
It was not revealed why the porthole was open, or how the young girl had slipped into it.
Officials credited the rescue crew’s fast response for saving the duo.
“Based on media reports I have read, the Disney crew was well prepared. Clearly, their training and readiness paid off because they executed a successful ocean rescue,” the Broward County Sheriff’s Office said.
“The Crew aboard the Disney Dream swiftly rescued two guests from the water. 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,” Disney said in a statement.
Both the father and daughter were treated onboard the ship before being taken to a local hospital after returning to port.
The father was eventually hospitalized, but officials didn’t reveal what injuries he had sustained in his daring rescue.
