The incident reportedly took place onboard the Disney Dream cruise ship on Sunday, June 29
NEED TO KNOW
- A girl fell overboard a Disney Dream cruise ship on Sunday, June 29, according to reports
- The girl’s father reportedly jumped in the water to save her and the pair were eventually rescued by crew members
- One passenger described the incident as a “scary situation” in a post on Facebook
A dad is being hailed as a hero after jumping into the ocean to save his daughter after she fell overboard on a Disney cruise, according to reports.
The Disney Dream ship was returning to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Sunday, June 29, after a four-night cruise in the Bahamas and made a stop at Disney’s private island, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, when the incident took place, Newsweek and USA Today reported, citing Disney officials.
“The Crew aboard the Disney Dream swiftly rescued two guests from the water,” Disney Cruise Line said in a statement to PEOPLE. “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.”
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According to the Disney Dream Cruise Ship Facebook Group, the girl fell overboard from the fourth deck of the ship, and a man identified as her father then jumped in after her.
“Her dad went in after her,” passenger Kevin 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!”
“A little girl fell overboard and her father jumped in to save her … apparently the dad sat her on the railing!” passenger Mary Ann Sutherland added in a separate post on Facebook.
The man was able to keep the girl afloat while treading water for around 20 minutes before cruise ship members came to rescue the pair in a lifeboat, the Daily Mail reported.
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In video footage posted on Facebook by passenger Janice Martin-Asuque who witnessed the incident, a lifeboat can be seen floating in the choppy waters with people sitting inside.
There were no injuries reported in the incident.
“We are committed to the safety and well-being of our guests, and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols,” Disney Cruise Line added in their statement to PEOPLE.
