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Father jumps overboard to save his daughter who fell from the 4th deck of ship

admin | July 1, 2025 1:22 PM CST

A father jumped into the ocean to save her daughter after she fell overboard from the fourth deck of the Disney Dream cruise ship on Sunday.

The ship was returning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after a four-night cruise around the Bahamas. Passengers stated the girl fell while her father was taking a photo near the railing. Once she fell, the ship's crew quickly raised a "man overboard" alert. The captain immediately slowed the ship and turned it around to help with the rescue, according to CBS News. Crew members threw lifesavers into the water. The incident occurred on June 29 as the ship sailed between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale. Videos shared on social media showed the father holding his daughter -- who appeared to be about 5 years old -- in the water as he treaded for more than 10 minutes. Passengers watching from the ship cheered loudly when the rescue boat reached them and brought them safely back aboard.

"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 passenger said as quoted by CBS News. The Disney Dream is capable of carrying up to 4,000 people and is equipped with safety barriers on its decks. DISNEY PRAISES CREW, PASSENGERS CALL FATHER A HERO Disney Cruise Line released a statement praising their crew's quick and skilled response. "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," said a Disney spokesperson. "This incident shows how effective our safety procedures are." Passengers on board called the father a hero for risking his life to save his daughter. Tracy Robinson-Hughes, who recorded the rescue, said, "That man is a hero. He jumped in to save his child." Another passenger, Kevin Furuta, shared that the girl fell from Deck 4, and the father went right after her. Tracy Robinson-Hughes, who recorded the rescue, called the father as a hero for jumping into the water to save his child. Another passenger, Kevin Furuta, confirmed that the girl fell from Deck 4 and that her father immediately jumped in after her. The ship returned safely to Port Everglades early Monday morning, ending the cruise as planned despite the event. Falling overboard from cruise ships is rare incident. A 2019 report showed that only nine out of 25 people who fell overboard from cruise ships that year were saved.