Fort Lauderdale, Florida — A heroic father jumped into the ocean to rescue his daughter after she fell overboard from a Disney Cruise Line ship, prompting a dramatic rescue at sea.
The incident occurred on Sunday aboard the Disney Dream, which was traveling back to Fort Lauderdale after a cruise through the Bahamas.
The Harrowing Incident
The incident took place during the final leg of the voyage when the child fell off the ship.
According to passengers and videos shared on social media, the father immediately leaped into the water after his daughter. Passengers who spoke with CBS News Miami said the father treaded water for more than 10 minutes while holding onto his daughter.
An emergency alert sounded throughout the ship, and the crew immediately launched a rescue boat and threw life preservers into the water. The ship slowed down and turned around while deploying a smaller tender boat to retrieve the pair.
Eyewitness Accounts and Heroism
Passenger Laura Amador described the tense moments, saying, “The ship was moving quickly, so quickly, it’s crazy how quickly the people became tiny dots in the sea, and then you lost sight of them. The captain slowed the ship and turned it around, and then they deployed a tender ship with people on it to go get them, and we saw them rescue the dad and daughter.”
A TikTok video from user Noeayala32 captured the moment as the father, holding his daughter in his arms, was rescued by the crew. The emotional scene was met with cheers from the passengers on board.
“I cried like a baby because I was worried. We were all worried,” said Tracy Robinson-Hughes, a passenger from Charleston, South Carolina. “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.”
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Cruise Experts and Disney’s Response
Cruise expert Amanda Berry, known on TikTok as Mandy the Cruise Planner, praised Disney’s response and pointed out the rarity of surviving such incidents. “Approximately only 17 to 25 percent of people survive once they go overboard, so the fact that both of them were found and rescued is honestly a testament to the Disney staff that was able to save them,” she said.
In a statement, Disney Cruise Line commended the actions of their crew, saying, “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.”
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A Grateful Family and a Heroic Father
The Disney Dream docked at Port Everglades early Monday morning after a four-night Bahamian cruise.
While the identities of the father and daughter have not been released, the mother’s emotional reaction was shared by passengers. “I saw the mother crying, but when they rescued them, I think that’s when the tears really started flowing, because you were just so overjoyed knowing and I prayed to God to save them, and he did,” said Tracy Robinson-Hughes.
While the Disney Dream ship has Plexiglas safety barriers on its decks, it is still unclear how the child fell overboard. Regardless, both the father and daughter were fortunate to survive, and the entire ordeal highlights the effectiveness of the ship’s emergency response protocols.
Call to Action
What do you think about the heroic actions of the father and the quick response from the Disney Cruise Line team? Share your thoughts in the comments below! For more stories about heroic moments, visit ridgecrestpact.org.
