Mystery over how five-year-old girl plunged 50ft from Disney cruise ship

Questions have been raised about how a five-year-old girl plunged from a Disney Cruise ship as it was sailing from Florida to the Bahamas.

Dramatic footage of the young girl and her father being rescued has been widely circulated, but the circumstances around the fall are still unclear.

Around 11 am on Sunday, the young girl fell from the fourth deck of the Disney Dream Cruise Ship, as shocked passengers watched on.

The girl’s father dived in after her, keeping her afloat until rescuers were able to pull the two back to the boat.

There have been claims that the father lifted his daughter onto the railing for a photo, before she fell backwards in the high winds – but this isn’t confirmed.

Others have said the youngster was climbing the railing before the high winds pushed her off the boat.

Now, passengers have spoken about the ordeal and what they saw unfold on deck.

Passenger Gar Frantz told the Daily Mail: ‘They said the dad lifted his daughter onto the railing and she fell off, then he jumped in straight after her.

‘People were screaming, “the baby’s in the water, the baby’s in the water”, and then they said, “and the dad jumped in”.’ I could see the fear in their eyes, and they went to the edge of the boat, and I saw anything that floats get thrown off the side.’

Mr Frantz said it was hard to see the pair, so he thought they were dying.

Another passenger, Monica Shannon, claimed a crew member told her the girl climbed on the railings while her parents were playing shuffleboard, before the winds made her lose her balance.

Broward County Sheriff’s Office said they are looking into the matter, but there doesn’t appear to be anything suspicious.

A rescue boat was quickly deployed to find the father and his daughter, who were discovered treading water together.

First-time cruise passenger Nikki Samsill Jackson told the Mail: ‘When they were rescued, dad had his arms around his child and he was treading water.

‘Everybody was cheering because you could see them lift them into the boat, and they had the baby in their arms.’

In a statement, Disney Cruise Lines said: ‘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.

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