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A dad is being hailed as a hero after jumping into the ocean to save his daughter after she fell overboard on a Disney cruise, according to multiple news reports.
The Disney Dream ship was returning to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Sunday, June 29, after a four-night cruise in the Bahamas and made a stop at Disney’s private island, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, when the incident took place, Newsweek and USA Today reported, citing Disney officials.
“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.”
According to the Disney Dream Cruise Ship Facebook Group, the girl fell overboard from the fourth deck of the ship, and a man identified as her father then jumped in after her.
“Her dad went in after her,” passenger Kevin Furuta wrote. “Right after the incident, we heard on the loudspeaker, ‘MOB
[Man overboard] Port side!! Thankfully, the DCL rescue team was on it immediately and both were saved!”
“A little girl fell overboard and her father jumped in to save her … apparently the dad sat her on the railing!” passenger Mary Ann Sutherland added in a separate post on Facebook.
In video footage posted on Facebook by passenger Janice Martin-Asuque who witnessed the incident, a lifeboat can be seen floating in the choppy waters with people sitting inside.
There were no injuries reported in the incident.
“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 their statement
Witnesses spoke to 7News after the Disney Dream arrived back at port in Fort Lauderdale.
“I just saw a bunch of the staff running outside on the fourth-floor deck, and I figured that something had happened,” said one woman. “So we went back to our room and watched from the balcony, and we were able to see the rescue boat immediately go into the water.”
Part of the rescue was captured on camera and posted to social media, showcasing the moments Disney Cruise Line employees deployed a rescue boat to eventually rescue them from the open water.
“They were very efficient,” said another woman. “We saw them pull the dad and the daughter after a couple of minutes.”
In response to this incident, a Disney Cruise Line spokesperson told 7News in a statement:
“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. We are committed to the safety and well-being of our guests, and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols.”
How the little girl ended up over the railing is under investigation.
Both father and daughter are said to be alright.
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