Following the dramatic incident of a father jumping overboard to save his daughter who fell from a Disney cruise ship, here’s what happens should the worst happen during your voyage.
The incident took place on Sunday (June 29), as the Disney Dream was returning to Fort Lauderdale after a four-night Bahamian cruise, which included a stop at Disney’s Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
While it remains unclear how the child fell from Deck 4, which features a walking track with plexiglass safety barriers, her father made a split-second decision to jump in after her.
He was determined to keep her afloat as the massive ship continued moving, leaving them drifting away from the vessel.
Passenger Kevin Furuta shared on Facebook: “On the last day of our Dream voyage, and it is an at Sea Day. A girl fell overboard from the 4th deck & her dad went in after her. Right after the incident, we heard on the loud speaker MOB Port side!! Thankfully the DCL rescue team was on it immediately and both were saved!”
Another passenger, Dewayne Smith, wrote: “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!”
What Happens When Someone Falls Overboard on a Cruise?
While overboard incidents on cruise ships are extremely rare, they can often be fatal, with only about 28.2% of people being successfully rescued, according to Cruise Lines International Association data covering 2009-2019.
In a typical year, around 20 to 25 overboard incidents occur out of 25 million passengers, equating to roughly one incident per million cruisers, per Newsweek.
When someone falls overboard, the ship’s bridge is alerted immediately, triggering a “Code Oscar” broadcast over the public address system, prompting the crew to launch rescue protocols, per The Independent. This can also be heard as a “Oscar Oscar Oscar” call or “Mr. Mob”.
Witnesses are encouraged to report details such as the exact location, the person’s description, and what they were wearing, as every second counts.
Once a “man overboard” report is received, the crew logs the ship’s coordinates and details about the fall while the vessel reverses course at maximum safe speed to return to the location.
Nearby vessels will be alerted to assist, along with the closest local maritime authority, and crew members will deploy life rafts and rescue boats into the water. These initial searches can last hours.
As Cruise Critic reports, survival rates vary based on several factors, such as whether the person was inured when hitting the water or the ship on the way down, and how quickly they are rescued by the cruise crew or Coast Guard.
Weather and sea conditions also affect rescue efforts. Rough waters can make it harder for someone to stay afloat and make it more challenging for rescuers to locate them in the water. The temperature of the water can also be a huge factor when it comes to a person’s survival.
When it comes to family and loved ones, cruise lines have care teams trained to provide emotional support. If the overboard incident was witnessed by others on the ship, counseling services are also offered to passengers who need them.
Typically, family members or travel companions will disembark the ship at the next port, The cruise line will also reach out to the emergency contact listed in the passenger’s check-in documents.
In this instance, passengers described how – within minutes – the Disney crew launched a bright yellow rescue boat into the ocean, with the father managing to keep his daughter above the waves for nearly 20 minutes until they were located.
“Ten-ish minutes later, a lifeboat drops and they find the people within 3-5 minutes of that. The man treaded water for at least 20 minutes,” one observer noted online.
Disney Cruise Line applauded the quick response of its crew in a statement published by USA TODAY: “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.”
Following the rescue, the ship resumed its course back to Port Everglades, Florida, with the father and daughter safely on board.
