FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) has released new details on the rescue of a girl, and her father, by Disney cruise ship crew members, after falling overboard.
WATCH BELOW: Girl and her father rescued after falling overboard from Disney cruise ship
The incident occurred at around 11:30 a.m. Sunday on deck 4 of a Disney cruise ship, as the ship was returning to Fort Lauderdale from the Bahamas.
"The 5-year-old girl lost her balance while sitting on a railing and falling backward through a porthole," BSO said in a news release. "After the girl’s mother alerted her husband, who didn’t see the incident, he jumped into the ocean to save his daughter."
BSO detectives said after the 37-year-old father found his daughter, he treaded water until they were rescued by a tender that was launched from 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," a Disney Cruise Line spokesperson said in a statement provided to the Scripps News Group. "We are committed to the safety and well-being of our guests, and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols."
BSO investigators said the total time from the child’s accidental fall to the rescue was about 20 minutes.
Once rescued, the father and daughter were checked out by the ship’s medical staff. And after the ship arrived Monday morning at Port Everglades, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue transported them to an area hospital.
