- A girl fell overboard from the fourth deck of the Disney Dream cruise ship on June 29
- Her father jumped into the water and kept her afloat for nearly 20 minutes until rescue
- The ship's man overboard alert was triggered, prompting a swift rescue response
A father has been praised as a hero for saving his daughter after she fell overboard on a Disney cruise ship. The incident happened on June 29 as the Disney Dream was returning to Fort Lauderdale from a four-night Bahamian cruise, Newsweek reported. Passengers on the Disney Dream shared details of the incident on the unofficial Disney Dream Cruise Ship Facebook group, reporting that the girl fell into the water from the fourth deck and was quickly followed by her father, who jumped in to rescue her.
The father, reportedly, kept his daughter afloat for nearly 20 minutes until the rescue team arrived at the scene.
The ship's emergency alert, "Mr. M.O.B." (man overboard), was triggered, prompting a swift response. Both the father and daughter were quickly rescued and are safe, according to Disney officials.
"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 to CNN.
Passengers on the Disney Dream cruise ship shared their firsthand accounts of the incident and rescue operation on social media, describing the dramatic moment when a young girl fell overboard and her father jumped in to save her.
"On the last day of our Dream voyage and it is an at Sea Day. A girl fell overboard from the 4th deck & her dad went in after her. Right after the incident we heard on the loudspeaker MOB Port side!! Thankfully, the DCL rescue team was on it immediately and both were saved," wrote passenger Kevin Furuta in a Facebook post.
"Oh, I see him, yeah, bless his heart. How did he survive that long? Two people, bless their hearts," passenger Melanie Rickman said as she recorded the rescue on her phone.
"Oh my God, that's a dad that needs to have a hero. He's a hero. He jumped in to save his child. He's a hero, he's a hero, that man is a hero," said passenger Tracy Robinson-Hughes, from Charleston, South Carolina.
While overboard incidents on cruise ships are rare, they can be deadly. The Disney Dream is en route back to Port Everglades, Florida, following the rescue.
