A Disney Cruise took a turn after a dad went overboard to save his daughter.
On June 29, the Disney Dream was sailing back from Fort Lauderdale after a four night cruise in the Bahamas when disaster struck.
Passengers were informed of an emergency after “Mr. M.O.B” aka man overboard was announced over the intercom.
People watched as the young girl fell into the ocean from Deck 4. It’s not clear at this time exactly how she fell as the deck is lined with safety barriers made of plexiglass.
The girl’s father jumped overboard after her in a heroic split-second decision.
Passenger Kevin Furuta shared on Facebook: “A girl fell overboard from the 4th deck & her dad went in after her … Thankfully the DCL rescue team was on it immediately and both were saved,”.
Another passenger, Dewayne Smith wrote: “We are on the Disney Dream at sea today and just witnessed a first on a cruise. A little girl fell overboard and her dad jumped overboard to try to save her. Man overboard calls went up immediately. The Disney crew went into action asap. Lots of praying folks on this ship! Both the little girl and dad were both successfully rescued.”
Disney crew members lowered a rescue boat only moments after she fell. Passengers noted online that the father was able to get to the girl and tread water for 20 minutes while they waited.
One passenger noted: “Ten-ish minutes later a lifeboat drops and they find the people within 3-5 minutes of that. The man treaded water for at least 20 minutes,”.
Disney Cruise Line shared with USA TODAY: “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.”