A young child suddenly plunged from the fourth deck of the Disney Dream cruise before her father dove in – with one witness describing the scene as ‘an absolute miracle’
A cruise passenger watched on in disbelief as a young child suddenly plunged from the fourth deck of a Disney Dream cruise and into the open sea – moments before her father dove in amid a desperate attempt to save her life.
The terrifying incident unfolded on Sunday as the ship was sailing back to Fort Lauderdale from the Bahamas. Alarms blared and chaos briefly gripped the deck as the “man overboard” alert was sounded, triggering a major emergency response from the crew.
Elinor Finkelstein, a New Yorker aboard the cruise, witnessed the drama play out, but said crew members did a great job of «not panicking at all.» Finkelstein said: «(They) kept everyone calm. No frenzy or screaming. Everyone was concentrating on the scene. It was an absolute miracle.» It is not yet known how the child fell over the safety barriers.
The passenger told how an emergency «Mr M.O.B» alert rang out over the intercom – code signifying a person overboard. Finkelstein told ARC Rochester: «I first heard the Mr. Mob announcement over the speakers probably between 11.15 to 11.30 in the morning. I went up to the pool deck and everybody was standing around watching.
«Seeing the boat go out and seeing that rescue happen was incredible. I had no idea that a cruise ship could turn around so quickly. It was a successful rescue, and by about 11.50ish, the boat was back to the ship. Everyone was cheering, and it was definitely a miracle.»
In a clip shared by Dewayne Smith, another passenger onboard the cruise, the rescue vessel was seen bringing the girl and her dad back aboard as shocked guests watched on from the railings. Crowds then burst into applause as the pair returned to the ship.
Finkelstein added: «It looked like the two individuals in the water were very close together, but they were pretty far from the ship. It was very hard to tell amongst the waves, but you could see these two dark circles and you could just make the assumption that that was them.
«Just a few minutes after the rescue, a message went over the entire ship explaining [that] two individuals were rescued from the water. We don’t know at this time who the exact individuals were.»
A Disney Cruise Line spokesperson told The Mirror: «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.»
