The child reportedly fell from the fourth deck of the Disney Dream on Sunday as it sailed from the Bahamas back to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
WASHINGTON — Authorities are pushing back against false claims after a dramatic overboard rescue on a Disney Cruise Line ship involving a 5-year-old girl and her father.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office told CBS News Miami that the “little girl was not being held, as erroneously reported on some social media sites,” following online speculation that the child may have fallen while her father was holding her up on the railing.
The child reportedly fell from the fourth deck of the Disney Dream on Sunday as it sailed from the Bahamas back to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Her father went in after her and the crew threw life preservers into the water as they readied rescue boats, CBS Miami reported.
Video taken by a passenger showed the man treading water while holding his daughter until a rescue team reached them. Both were safely brought back aboard the ship.
The Disney Cruise Line confirmed the rescue, commending its crew for their swift response.
“The Crew aboard the Disney Dream swiftly rescued two guests from the water,” a Disney Cruise Line spokesperson said in a statement. “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.”
Passengers say a “man overboard” alert was issued shortly after the child fell. Social media footage shows people cheering from above as the pair were rescued from the ocean.
Monica Shannon, a guest onboard, told CBS News Miami that she was waiting to meet Disney princesses on Deck 3 when she saw “something really fast” fly by. Minutes later, she heard an announcement that someone had gone overboard.
Shannon said she later spoke to a crew member who witnessed the fall and claimed the girl had climbed the protective railing while her parents were nearby playing shuffleboard.
Investigators are continuing to look into the circumstances surrounding the fall but emphasized that claims about the father lifting the girl over the railing are unfounded.