Father jumps into ocean after his daughter fell

(MENAFN) A dramatic scene unfolded aboard a Disney cruise ship on Sunday afternoon when a father jumped into the sea to rescue his daughter after she fell from the vessel’s fourth deck while it was sailing from the Bahamas to the United States.

According to accounts from passengers, the incident occurred as the man was taking a photo of his daughter near a railing, when she suddenly fell into the ocean. A man overboard alert was immediately issued, prompting the crew to respond swiftly.

Video footage captured by those onboard showed passengers applauding as the father and daughter were safely pulled onto a rescue boat after spending roughly 10 minutes in the water.

"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," one passenger said.

"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," the same passenger added.

The vessel involved was the Disney Dream, which can carry up to 4,000 people. It was on the final day of a four-day cruise around the Bahamas and was heading back to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Disney confirmed that the two guests were successfully rescued but did not disclose further details about the circumstances. A spokesperson for Disney Cruise Line stated, "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."

Another guest on board recalled witnessing the moment: "We watched it, you could see two little things...it was crazy, it was horrific," he said, describing how quickly the pair vanished from sight.

Despite the alarming nature of the event, the cruise ship returned to its scheduled destination without further incident.

Though rare, incidents involving passengers falling overboard do occur, and rescues are often unsuccessful. A report from 2019 by an international cruise industry group noted that 25 people fell overboard that year, and only nine were rescued.

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