Hero father who dove into ocean to save daughter did not place 5-year-old on Disney cruise ship railing: police

The hero father who dove into the ocean to save his 5-year-old daughter after she fell from a Disney Cruise line did not place her on the railing leading to the fall, authorities have said, debunking rumors on social media that his actions led to the child falling into the ocean. 

The incident took place on the Disney Dream cruise ship en route to Florida from the Bahamas on Sunday, where a 5-year-old girl fell off the ship and into the sea. Her father dove in after her, and both were later saved by the ship's staff on a lifeboat. Broward County Sheriff’s Office told reporters that the "little girl was not being held, as erroneously reported on some social media sites," referring to speculation that the father had been holding his daughter on the guard rail before she fell into the ocean, per CBS News.

Witnesses said that they saw the little girl fall overboard, and her father dove in after her, holding her while treading water for over 10 minutes. One woman recounted what crew members told her about the incident, "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." 

Attorney Nicholas Gerson, who specializes in maritime injuries as well as ship accidents, said that many of these cases end in tragedy, but that in "this particular situation, the father's a hero."

"Most of the man overboard cases, it's too late. There aren't any witnesses; they often happen at nighttime, and because the ships are moving at approximately 20 knots, by the time anyone figures out that someone has gone overboard, it's generally too late," he added. 

The sheriff's office said in a statement following the accident, "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."