Child Falls Overboard on Disney Cruise Ship – Rescued Alongside Her Father Who Jumped In After Her

Photographer: Eugene GILLET - ShipSpotting.com

A terrifying moment unfolded aboard a Disney cruise ship returning from the Bahamas to Florida when a young girl reportedly fell overboard from the fourth-floor deck. Her father, without hesitation, jumped in after her. Thanks to the swift response of the ship's crew, both were pulled to safety within minutes.

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The incident occurred on the final day of the voyage. Passengers onboard described the harrowing scene, with some witnessing the moment the child fell into the water. Gar Frantz, who spoke to NBC News, said the girl had been sitting on the rail of the deck while a photo was being taken.

"We watched it, you could see two little things... It was crazy, it was horrific," Frantz said.

Fellow passenger Gail Merrick recounted that she was playing bingo when the commotion began. As the situation became clear, she, like many others, anxiously watched the rescue efforts unfold. "We came to find out that it was a child and then the father had gone in after the child, so we were watching with bated breath, basically waiting for what would happen," she told NBC News.

Disney Cruise Line later confirmed that both the child and her father had been "swiftly rescued" and were safely returned to the ship.

"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," the company said in a statement.

James Tackett, who witnessed the moment, recalled the relief felt by all those onboard. "Everyone cheered" when the captain announced that the father and daughter were safe, he said.

His mother, Brenda Tackett, praised the crew’s professionalism: "The Disney Cruise Line staff were phenomenal, the crew, everybody was on it. You could tell they've practiced this, hopefully have never used it before, but they were great. The whole thing was maybe 10, 15 minutes, and they safely got back on board."