The Broward Sheriff’s Office — which is investigating the incident where a 5-year-old girl fell from Disney Cruise Line ship the Disney Dream — says she was not sitting on the ship’s railing.
- Disney Dream – Disney Cruise Ship Overboard Incident Update
- How Did Girl Fall off Disney Cruise Ship?
- Sherrif’s Statement on the Disney Cruise Ship Overboard Incident
UPDATE: Since writing this article, the BSO has issued a new statement changing their previous quote. As of the latest statement on the evening of July 2, the little girl “lost her balance while sitting on a railing and falling backward through a porthole.” Please read our most recent post for the latest details.
Disney Dream – Disney Cruise Ship Overboard Incident
BSO told CBS News Miami that the child “was not sitting on the ledge or being held up over it” and that detectives are still investigating what happened.
How Did Girl Fall off Disney Cruise Ship?
BSO’s statement comes following reports that the girl’s father may have held her above the safety railing or placed her on the railing to take a picture. The father jumped into the water after his daughter fell and held her until crew members were able to rescue them. He reportedly treaded water for over 10 minutes.
The girl fell from the port side of deck 4 on the Disney Dream on June 29 as the ship was on its way home from the Bahamas to Ft. Lauderdale. Disney Cruise Line released this statement:
“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.”
Deck 4 features an open-air deck around most of the ship, where guests can walk, jog, relax on chairs, and play shuffleboard. There is a railing around the deck with openings covered by Plexiglass. Our picture above was taken on deck 4 of the Dream in 2021. Other areas of the ship have taller railings and Plexiglass, depending on how much wind is liable to reach the deck.
CBS News shared the account of Monica Shannon, a passenger who was on deck 3 when she saw something “fly by.” She later learned what happened and said she spoke to a crew member who saw the incident occur.
“The crew member who said that’s her station and she was on the fourth floor, she did say that she was climbing up and the parents were playing shuffleboard and the dad jumped in after her,” Shannon explained.
Most overboard cases on cruise ships unfortunately do not result in a rescue. This family was lucky that the incident happened during the day and that there were many witnesses, so the crew was immediately able to launch a rescue effort.
Sherrif’s Statement on the Disney Cruise Ship Overboard Incident
The Broward Sheriff’s Office also released this statement:
“Based on media reports I have read, the Disney crew was well prepared. Clearly, their training and readiness paid off because they executed a successful ocean rescue. While there doesn’t appear to be anything suspicious, Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives are investigating the circumstances that led up to the child falling overboard. This family is so blessed. It’s great to be able to respond to good news rather than what could have been a tragic outcome. The incident involved a father and his 5-year-old daughter.”
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