Girl on Disney cruise fell through porthole as dad jumped to save her in 20-minute fight for survival: police

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A dramatic ocean rescue ensued from the father of a 5-year-old girl who lost her balance while sitting on a railing and fell through a porthole, authorities revealed.

The rescue unfolded around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, June 29 on Deck 4 of the Disney Dream ship while it was in international waters between the Bahamas and Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, the Broward Sheriff's Department confirmed to Fox News Digital.

Investigators said the child was sitting on a railing near a porthole when she fell backward into the ocean.

FATHER LEAPS INTO OCEAN AFTER DAUGHTER FALLS FROM DISNEY CRUISE SHIP DECK: REPORTS

After the girl’s mother alerted her husband, who didn’t see the incident, he jumped into the ocean to save his daughter.

BSO detectives said after the 37-year-old father found his daughter, he treaded water until they were rescued by Disney Cruise Line rescue personnel on a tender that was launched from the ship.

The department said that the total time from the young girl's accidental fall to the rescue was about 20 minutes.

Security footage from the ship corroborated the family’s account of the accident, which remains under investigation, the department said.

WATCH: PASSENGER REACTS TO RESCUE

The ship's crew sprang into action, launching a rescue operation that BSO officials credited to their rigorous man-overboard training.

Dewayne Smith, another passenger, wrote on Facebook that "Man Over Board" rang across the loudspeaker as rescue teams sprang into action.

"Lots of praying folks on this ship! Both the little girl and dad were both successfully rescued!" he wrote.

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In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Disney Cruise Line spokesperson confirmed the successful rescue: "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," they said. Fox News Digital has reached out to Disney Cruise Line for additional comment.

Once rescued, the father and daughter duo were checked by the ship's medical staff. After the ship safely arrived Monday at Port Everglades, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue transported them to an area hospital.

The father was hospitalized, but details of his injuries were not released. The sheriff's department noted that the family lives out of state, and they are not releasing their names nor where they live.

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"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 sheriff's department said. 

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a U.S. Writer at Fox News Digital. 

Since joining in 2021, she’s covered high-stakes criminal justice—from the Menendez brothers’ resentencing, where Judge Jesic slashed their life-without-parole terms to 50-years-to-life (making them parole-eligible), to the assassination attempts on President Donald Trump's life and shifting immigration enforcement, including her reporting on South Florida’s illegal-immigration crisis, covering unprecedented migrant crossings from the Bahamas and ensuing enforcement operations.

Beyond those beats, she reports on crime, politics, business, lifestyle, world news, and more—delivering both breaking updates and in-depth analysis across Fox News Digital. You can follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.