Authorities have confirmed that a father who heroically jumped into the ocean to rescue his 5-year-old daughter after she fell from a Disney Cruise ship was not at fault for the incident, dispelling social media rumors suggesting otherwise.
The incident occurred Sunday aboard the Disney Dream as the ship was returning to Florida from the Bahamas. Witnesses reported seeing the young girl fall overboard before her father immediately dove in after her. Ship crew quickly launched a lifeboat and successfully rescued both.
Online speculation had accused the father of placing the child on the ship’s railing, but the Broward County Sheriff’s Office debunked those claims. “The little girl was not being held, as erroneously reported on some social media sites,” the office confirmed to CBS News.
Eyewitnesses recalled the moment with emotion. One cruise passenger shared that a crew member described how the girl had climbed up on her own while her parents were nearby playing shuffleboard. “The dad jumped in after her,” the woman recounted.
Attorney Nicholas Gerson, an expert in maritime injury law, called the father a “hero,” noting the rarity of such rescues. “Most man overboard cases end in tragedy. It’s often too late,” he explained. “But in this situation, the father’s quick action made the difference.”
The sheriff’s office praised the Disney crew for their preparedness and swift action. “Clearly, their training and readiness paid off,” they said in a statement. While no foul play is suspected, the circumstances are still under investigation.
“This family is so blessed,” the sheriff’s statement concluded. “It’s great to be able to respond to good news rather than what could have been a tragic outcome.”
