5-year-old girl on Disney Dream lost balance, fell through cruise ship porthole, sheriff says

ORLANDO, Fla. – A 5-year-old girl who fell overboard the Disney Dream cruise ship last weekend lost her balance on a railing and fell backwards through an open porthole and into the ocean below, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.

The girl’s mother witnessed the moment and then yelled to the girl’s father, who then dove through the porthole and into the ocean, where he treaded water with his daughter until rescuers reached them, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office said the entire incident – from when the girl fell out of the porthole and when she was rescued – lasted 20 minutes, commending Disney’s rescue teams. The sheriff’s office also said it was releasing the initial information due to the large amount of media requests and “misinformation” circulating on social media.

“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,” BCSO said in a statement.

Two people were rescued after going overboard on the Disney Dream cruise ship. Photos/videos obtained by FOX 35.

Rumors spread fast on social media alleging that the father was holding the child over the railing before she fell overboard. 

“We haven’t arrested either parent,” the sheriff’s public information officer told FOX 35. “We want to be clear — this is to stop the misinformation that’s going out on social media attacking this family.”

5-year-old falls overboard off Disney Dream cruise 

The backstory:

A spokesperson for Disney Cruise Line confirmed to FOX 35 Orlando in a statement late Sunday that two people were rescued after going overboard.

“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,” Disney said in a statement.

Disney Dream rescue: ‘They’re miracle workers. They saved that family’

Disney Cruise Line’s rescue team had to jump into immediate action over the weekend after two people – a young girl and her father, reports say – fell overboard, dropping some 50–60 feet into the water, according to Disney and passengers aboard the ship. Brandon and Nikki were two passengers aboard the ship. “They spun around, and the team took immediate action. Disney, I don’t even have words. They’re miracle workers. They saved that family,” Brandon told FOX 35’s Esther Bower.

Cruise passengers witness the rescue

What they’re saying:

Brandon and Nikki were aboard the Disney Dream when they heard the cruise captain announce over the intercom: “Mr. Mob. Portside.”

This is essentially an emergency code for “Man overboard,” and describes which side of the boat that person possibly went over. Port refers to the left side, while Starboard refers to the right side.

Nikki said she and her family were on the top deck of the boat and began to notice commotion on the left side of the boat. Nikki looked, saw the commotion in the water, and had to step away, she said.

“My anxiety took over. I couldn’t watch,” she said. “At that point, I just went and got in my lawn chair and just started praying.”

Brandon said he could see the life preservers in the water, but at first, couldn’t see any people. Then, Disney’s rescue team entered the water in a yellow boat.

“You could see a little black dot in the middle of the ocean and that was them,” he said.

“The team took immediate action. Disney, I don’t even have words. They’re miracle workers, they saved that family,” he said.

“I just burst into tears,” said Nikki. “The emotion, being a mom and a grandmother – you’re on vacation having the best time of your life and something so tragic like that happened. It was just tears of relief that those prayers were answered.”