The Florida Sheriff’s Office has revealed just how a young girl managed to fall from a Disney cruise ship and into the ocean during a family vacation.
The officials have stated that during the June 29 incident, the five-year-old had been sitting on a railing when she lost her balance and fell into the ocean from the fourth deck of the ship.
According to their investigation, the father didn’t see the incident that Sunday at all, and only learned that his daughter had fallen after his wife alerted him to the situation.
The report debunks online speculation that she’d been placed on the railing by her dad so that he could take photos of her.
Once notified that his daughter had gone overboard, the heroic dad jumped into the swift ocean water, saving her from certain death.
People were horrified to hear that a little girl had gone overboard on Disney’s $900 million luxury cruise ship as it sailed between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale.
Clearing up the vicious accusations about the father’s alleged negligence, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said that the girl had lost her balance and fallen ‘backwards through a porthole’ all on her own.
‘After the girl’s mother alerted her husband, who didn’t see the incident, he jumped into the ocean to save his daughter,’ the Sheriff’s Office said.
Onlookers said they heard the mother screaming in terror and saying ‘she’s five and can’t swim,’ and alerting her husband.
Fellow passenger Monica Shannon told the Daily Mail that, ‘the parents were playing shuffleboard and the girl was climbing on the railings… and as she went to climb up again she flew off.’
She said that it was a very windy day and the small child could have easily been blown from the ship with a large gust of wind.
Detectives said the 37-year-old quickly dove overboard, found his daughter, and tread water for 20 minutes as hundreds of passengers watched.
Both the father and the daughter were successfully rescued and brought back on board. The captain later made an announcement to inform passengers of the incident.
Disney Cruise Lines commended the rescue team for their bravery and hard work:
‘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.’
Daily Mail reached out to the Broward Sheriff’s Office for comment.
