A family’s dream vacation turned into a life-or-death moment when a young girl fell overboard from the Disney Dream cruise ship. Her father immediately jumped in after her, prompting a dramatic and successful rescue at sea.
A harrowing incident occurred on Sunday aboard the Disney Dream as it journeyed from the Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale, when a young girl fell overboard, prompting her father to leap into the ocean in pursuit of her.
The dramatic rescue took place during the last segment of a four-night cruise in the Bahamas. Videos shared on social media and accounts from multiple eyewitnesses documented the event. Passengers reported that the father remained in the water for more than 10 minutes, holding his daughter until rescue crews arrived.
An emergency alert was activated, prompting a swift response from the Disney Cruise Line staff. The crew members deployed a rescue boat and threw life rings into the ocean.
“The ship was moving swiftly — within moments, they became mere dots on the water,” passenger Laura Amador remembered. “The captain maneuvered the ship and sent out a tender to bring them back.”
Video shared by TikTok user @noeayala32 captured the moment a father held his daughter in the water before passing her to the rescue team. Passengers burst into applause as both were successfully rescued from the ocean.
“He’s a hero,” remarked Tracy Robinson-Hughes from Charleston, South Carolina. “I wept uncontrollably.” Everyone was filled with concern.
Amanda Berry, a cruise expert, pointed out that although Disney ships feature Plexiglas barriers, survival in cases of going overboard is uncommon. “Only 17 to 25 percent survive such incidents,” she stated. “This was an exceptional result.”
Disney Cruise Line commended its crew for their swift response. “We applaud our crew for their outstanding abilities, which guaranteed the safe return of both guests,” the company stated.
The identities of both the father and daughter remain undisclosed. The circumstances surrounding the child's fall from Deck 4 are currently being investigated. The Disney Dream arrived securely at Port Everglades early Monday morning.
