Dan Seddon
The sheriff's office of Broward County, Florida has offered more details on an incident this week where a five-year-old girl fell overboard while on a Disney cruise with her family.
The youngster and her 37-year-old father had to be rescued from the water after finding themselves overboard while holidaying on the Disney Dream ship travelling from the Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale on 29 June.
Her dad had heroically jumped in after her, miraculously managing to tread water until help reached them both, with authorities branding the pair 'very lucky' to be alive.
Reports from the scene were initially murky and rumors instantly swirled from those claiming to have witnessed the incident unfold.
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Now, local authorities have set the story straight as they released more information on the moments before the young girl fell from deck four of the cruise ship.
The investigation, which was corroborated by onboard CCTV, revealed how the youngster was sitting on a railing and proceeded to slip backwards through the porthole and down into the ocean after losing her balance.
Her mother then alerted the father, who dove in after her.
The father and daughter treaded water for around 20 minutes before the rescue crew reached them.
"This family is so blessed," read a brief statement. "It's great to be able to respond to good news rather than what could have been a tragic outcome.
“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."
Meanwhile, Disney also went on to comment: "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."
Both the father and daughter were treated on board the ship before being taken to a local hospital after returning to port.
The former was eventually hospitalised, yet officials chose not to reveal what type of injuries he'd sustained in his moment of heroism.
As for the procedures that take place once somebody is technically overboard, the first action is a 'man overboard' alert to the bridge.
The bridge crew then broadcasts 'Code Oscar' over the ship’s public address system to mobilize everyone into rescue mode.
Next comes a record of coordinates, as the manoeuvre of turning a gigantic vessel around and stopping it safely takes time, so accurate location data - both the ship’s position and the deck or railing from which the person fell - is essential to narrow the search area.
The team then launch the search and support the family.