A statement has been released by police after a father jumped overboard to save his five-year-old daughter who'd fallen from the Disney Dream cruise ship near the Bahamas.
Authorities have been investigating an incident aboard the Disney Dream after the child fell from the ship’s fourth deck during a cruise stop in the Bahamas, the Broward County Sheriff's Office has confirmed.
The dramatic rescue took place on Sunday, June 29, as the cruise ship was returning from a four-night voyage to the Bahamas and approaching Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The fall occurred while the ship was docked at Disney’s Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point in Bannerman Town, as previously reported.
According to officials, the young girl fell into the ocean from one of the upper decks, and without hesitation, her father dove in after her.
A Disney rescue team quickly launched a response, and within minutes, both were safely brought back on board.
“The Crew aboard the Disney Dream swiftly rescued two guests from the water," Disney Cruise Line said in a statement to PEOPLE.
"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," Disney Cruise Line added, "and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols.”
A Broward County Sheriff's Office representative has released a statement following the incident, saying: “The Disney crew was well prepared. Clearly, their training and readiness paid off because they executed a successful ocean rescue.”
The representative continued, adding: “While there doesn’t appear to be anything suspicious, Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives are investigating the circumstances that led up to the child falling overboard [...]
“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.”
Although foul play is not suspected, authorities are reportedly working to determine exactly how the child fell, as the circumstances are unclear, Metro details.
A passenger named Chandler, who witnessed the event and asked to be identified only by her first name, recalled the alarming moment. “There was some kind of commotion," she said. "Then this awful scream from what I assume is the mother and then this massive splash.”
She added: “It sounded like hitting pavement, nothing like if you jump into a pool, it was so loud,” explaining that it all happened while the ship was en route between Nassau and Grand Bahama Island.
Chandler and her family rushed to their balcony to see what was happening. Seconds later, they saw a life vest dropped into the water, followed by an announcement over the loudspeaker: “MOB [Man overboard] port side.” More flotation devices were quickly tossed into the sea, per the Daily Mail.
According to Chandler, who posted a clip of the rescue on TikTok, four crew members boarded a rescue boat, pulled both the man and his daughter from the water, and returned them to safety.
She said the incident began at 11:15AM, and the pair were rescued by 11:47AM, local time.
“I didn’t think they’d find them,” she admitted. “I had to tell my own nine-year-old daughter Harper they were probably gone [because] they usually can’t find people who fall.”
The investigation remains ongoing, but thanks to a combination of swift action and professional training, a potentially devastating accident ended with the pair being returned to safety.