A frightening incident ended in relief on 29 June 2025, when a young girl fell into the sea from a Disney cruise ship and her father immediately jumped in after her to save her life.
The event occurred on the Disney Dream as it sailed back towards Port Everglades from the Bahamas. Passengers reported hearing the urgent ship-wide call: “Mr. M.O.B. portside”—the code for “man overboard.” Crew members quickly slowed the vessel and deployed life rings into the ocean.
According to passengers posting online, the child is believed to have fallen from Deck 4, which features a walking and jogging track. Some early, unconfirmed reports suggested she may have been placed on the railing for a photo before losing her balance, but this detail has not been verified.
Witnesses described how the father did not hesitate, jumping straight into the sea to rescue his daughter. One passenger, Dewayne Smith, shared on Facebook:
“We are on the Disney Dream at sea today and just witnessed a first on a cruise. A little girl fell overboard and her dad jumped overboard to try to save her. Man overboard calls went up immediately. The Disney crew went into action asap. Lots of praying folks on this ship! Both the little girl and dad were both successfully rescued.”
Despite the dramatic circumstances, both father and daughter were safely recovered by the ship’s crew. Remarkably, the rescue took place while the ship was still underway, roughly halfway between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale—making the operation even more challenging.
One passenger described how around 10 minutes after the alarm, a lifeboat was launched. The father, who had been treading water for about 20 minutes, and his daughter were located and retrieved within just a few minutes of the lifeboat arriving on scene.
Many online commented on how rare such accidents are, noting that Disney ships are designed with high railings and glass barriers to prevent falls.
Ultimately, the successful outcome highlights both the father’s determination and the Disney Dream crew’s thorough emergency preparedness and rapid response.
