Authorities are investigating the incident after a father and daughter were rescued after going overboard on a Disney Cruise ship over the weekend.
“Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives continue to investigate the moments before a 5-year-old girl lost her balance while sitting on a railing and (fell) backward through a porthole,” public information officer Veda Coleman-Wright told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. Both guests were medically evaluated, and the father was hospitalized after disembarking.
Here’s what we know.
What happened
The girl went overboard from Deck 4 on Sunday, June 29, as the Disney Dream was heading back to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from The Bahamas. The child’s fall occurred around 11:30 a.m.
“After the girl’s mother alerted her husband, who didn’t see the incident, he jumped into the ocean to save his daughter,” Coleman-Wright said. “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.”
Jenn Young, a passenger on the cruise, previously told USA TODAY she recalled hearing an M.O.B. (“man overboard”) announcement in her stateroom, seeing crew “scurrying” on the ship and tossing orange rings into the water, and the ship turning.
After the boat went out to rescue the passengers, Young said they were “sitting up, moving, conscious, and trying to tell everybody that they’re OK” on the way back.
BSO investigators said roughly 20 minutes passed between the child’s fall and the pair’s rescue, according to Coleman-Wright. Detectives reviewed security footage from the ship, which matched the family and crew members’ statements.
“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 told USA TODAY on Sunday. Authorities are withholding other identifying information about the passengers and details of the father’s injury out of consideration “for the family’s continued privacy,” Coleman-Wright added.
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What’s next
Investigators are still piecing together the details of what happened.
It’s unclear whether the findings will impact future sailings, but Disney Cruise Line said, “We are committed to the safety and well-being of our guests, and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols.”
Cruise goers have applauded crew members’ rapid response.
This story was updated to fix a typo and add new information.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What we know of rescue of child who fell through a porthole on cruise
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