Over the weekend, a young child went overboard while on a short cruise aboard Disney Dream. Although many are praising her father, who jumped into the ocean after her, others claim there's more to the story.
According to online reports, some witnesses allege that the child might have accidentally gone overboard after being placed on a railing for a photo by her dad. This version of events hasn't been confirmed by Disney Cruise Line or the authorities, but it has sparked a debate on social media.
The chances of falling overboard are low. Cruise lines design their ships with high railings, surveillance systems, and other safety protocols to prevent these accidents.
As such, many claim that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for the young child to have fallen without being placed in a dangerous situation.
"We went to a crew talk on one of the ships and the captain said, there is no place on the ship where you can accidentally fall off. You have to jump or climb (or be lifted) over something," stogle1 said on a Disney Cruise Line Reddit thread.
Another added, "This is absolutely negligence. The parent is to blame, one way or the other."
Cruise lines, including Disney, have strict rules in place prohibiting guests from sitting, standing, or climbing on railings to prevent them from going overboard. Not only that, but passengers are reminded to supervise their children closely at all times.
Breaking this rule has resulted in lifetime bans from cruise ships. For example, one guest was banned from sailing with Royal Caribbean after they climbed on their balcony's railing for a photograph.
“...[A] guest was observed recklessly and dangerously posing for a photo by standing on her stateroom balcony railing with the help of her companion," a Royal Caribbean spokesperson told CNN.
"Security was notified and the guests were later debarked in Falmouth, Jamaica as a result of their actions and are now banned for life from sailing with Royal Caribbean."
The girl went overboard while sailing from the Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Disney cruises are all about making magical memories. Unfortunately, this vacation ended on a sour note for one family.
Disney Dream departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on June 26 on a 4-night cruise to Nassau and Disney's Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
While sailing back to Fort Lauderdale with less than 24 hours onboard, the young girl went overboard. Passengers reported hearing "Mr. M.O.B." (the cruise line's secret code for "man overboard") on the ship's public intercom.
Read more: Child goes overboard from Disney cruise ship; father jumps in to save her, reports claim
One guest told PEOPLE that they heard "some kind of commotion...then this awful scream from what [she assumes] is the mother, and then this massive splash" [that] "sounded like hitting pavement, nothing like if you jump into a pool."
Laura Amador, another passenger who witnessed the harrowing moment, told ABC News that "[she] couldn't see the people" because "the ship was moving...so quickly."
However, the vessel quickly circled back to where the child was last seen and launched a swift rescue operation to ensure that she and her father were safely recovered.
The father treaded water for more than 20 minutes while holding his daughter and keeping her head above the surface until help arrived. They were finally pulled from the ocean around 11:47am local time.
Photos and videos on social media show passengers watching the crew deploy a rescue boat, pulling the pair from the water, and returning to the Disney Dream. As the boat was hoisted up alongside the ship, a round of applause broke out from the bystanders.
"The Crew aboard the Disney Dream swiftly rescued two guests from the water," a Disney Cruise Line spokesperson said to USA TODAY.
"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."
Despite the allegations that the girl's father had her perched on a railing, many are praising the father because of his willingness to risk his own life
Disney Cruise Line will launch a formal investigation into the incident with the hope of uncovering the cause. Until then, everything is speculation.
Whether the father did (or didn't) place his daughter on the ship's railing remains unknown. However, what is certain is that his quick response likely helped save his child's life.
"I'm sorry but whether or not he put her up on the railing doesn't take away from the fact that he did what he did to save her," said one TikTok user.
"He immediately jumped in after her from 4 stories up, found her, and [treaded] water with her in his arms for 20+ minutes until she was safe. A lapse in judgment doesn't negate what a good father he is and how he handled the situation [in my opinion]."
"No matter how it happened, he knew he was either going to save her or go with her. She wasn't going to be alone," wrote another.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
