A video shared online has captured the rescue effort after a father jumped overboard to save his daughter when she fell from a Disney cruise ship.
On Sunday (June 29), an unnamed girl fell from a Disney Dream cruise liner as it was returning to Fort Lauderdale following a four-night Bahamian cruise.
Although it is still unclear how she fell from Deck 4 - which has a walking track lined with plexiglass safety barriers - her father made a heroic split-second decision to jump into the Atlantic waters after her, determined to keep her afloat.
Passengers described how, within minutes, the Disney crew launched a bright yellow rescue boat into the ocean, with the father managing to keep his daughter above the waves for nearly 20 minutes until they were located.
A video of the terrifying moment was captured and shared on TikTok by a user who goes by the handle @noeayala32.
Watch the moment below:Many people took to the comment section to praise the father for risking his life, with one writing: "Thank god it was daylight! Even if Dad did make this mistake, he risked his life for his baby."
Another said: "Dad … you are a truly hero . And awesome job done by the rescue team," while a third shared: "Man, what a good dad."
A fourth added: "Thank God they were ok & the rescue boat got there so quickly. That must’ve been terrifying and the mom was probably so scared!"
In a statement published by USA TODAY, Disney Cruise Line commended its crew: “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."
Following the rescue, the ship resumed its course back to Port Everglades, Florida, with the father and daughter safely on board.
The Disney Dream, launched in 2011 and last refurbished in 2024, is one of Disney Cruise Line’s largest ships, capable of carrying up to 4,000 passengers.
At launch, it was the company's largest vessel, weighing around 130,000 tons with 1,250 rooms, and it cost $760 million, according to Forbes.
It is equipped with overboard detection systems that alert the crew in real-time, enabling rapid emergency responses such as the one seen in this incident.
Overboard incidents on cruise ships are rare but often fatal. A 2022 report from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), cited by Newsweek, found that around 20 to 25 overboard incidents occur annually among 25 million passengers, equating to about one incident per million cruisers.
Between 2009 and 2019, 212 people reportedly went overboard, with only 48 rescued, suggesting a survival rate of 28.2%
“We are committed to the safety and well-being of our guests, and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols,” Disney Cruise Line added in its statement.
Thankfully, there were no injuries reported in the incident.