A young girl fell overboard off the Disney Dream cruise ship over the weekend. Her father heroically dived in to save her, and emergency staff quickly rescued the pair from the water. However, it was unclear how the child ended up in the sea, as multiple safety measures were in place.
The incident caused much speculation online, but a recent report by CBS suggests the 5-year-old lost her balance while sitting on a railing. She then fell through a porthole. The outlet also provides more insight into where the cruise ship was at the time. It was reportedly in international waters between the Bahamas and Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.
CBS also cites a statement by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, which clarified that the father was not holding the child over the railings at the time. When the father dived into the water, he allegedly “treaded water” for 20 minutes before the rescue boat collected them.
An investigation remains ongoing, but law enforcement claim CCTV footage from the ship corroborates the family’s statements.
The Father Was Hospitalized After Diving From The Disney Dream Ship
Authorities reportedly said that emergency services transported the dad to the hospital after the ordeal. His family has asked for privacy and has not revealed the extent of his injuries. A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s office said, “This family is so blessed. It’s great to be able to respond to good news rather than what could have been a tragic outcome.”
The young girl reportedly fell from the fourth deck of the ship, which is one of the closest to the water. The New York Post explained that the deck is open air and has an outdoor running track and a theater. The outlet also revealed that the railings are “chest high” for adults. For a child, those railings will often be above head height. There are also plexiglass panels to prevent climbing.
The Disney Dream has an ‘overboard detection system’ which is commonplace on many cruise ships. It alerts the crew if anyone falls from the vessel so they can quickly take action.