Police reveal how girl, aged 5, fell overboard from Disney cruise ship before father saved her

A new statement from the Broward Sheriff’s Office revealed the five-year-old girl "lost her balance while sitting on a railing" and fell backwards through a porthole into the ocean below.

Her father didn't see the little girl fall but jumped into the water to her rescue after her mother told him what had happened.

The girl was seen to tumble from the fourth deck of the vessel, with crew launching an emergency rescue operation to save the pair.

The incident took place on the last day of the cruise from the Bahamas to the US, shortly before the ship returned to port in Florida.

Video footage captured by onlookers show Disney crew members in a yellow boat collecting the father and daughter from the ocean before heading back towards the cruise liner.

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Police said: "The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. Sunday, June 29, on deck 4 of a Disney cruise ship, while the ship was in international waters somewhere between the Bahamas and Port Everglades.

"Broward Sheriff's Office detectives continue to investigate the moments before a 5-year-old girl lost her balance while sitting on a railing and falling backward through a porthole. 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 a tender that was launched from the ship.

"The crew's 'man overboard' training and readiness paid off because they executed a successful ocean rescue. BSO investigators said the total time from the child's accidental fall to the rescue was about 20 minutes. Once rescued, the father and daughter were checked out by the ship's medical staff.

"And after the ship arrived Monday morning at Port Everglades, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue transported them to an area hospital. The father was hospitalised. The family lives out of state. For the family's continued privacy, detectives are not releasing their names, where they live, or the details of the father's injury."

Janice Martin-Asuque, the passenger who captured the footage, wrote on Facebook: "We heard an M.O.B call over the ship’s speaker. A little girl had fallen into the water, and her father jumped in after to save her.

"Huge respect to the Disney Dream crew for their quick response. Thank God they’re both safe."

Ten minutes after the incident unfolded, a boat was deployed and the pair were found within five minutes.

The father had been treading water for at least 20 minutes as he waited for the tender to reach him and his daughter.

Another passenger added: "On the last day of our Dream voyage and it is an at sea day.

"A girl fell overboard from the fourth deck and her dad went in after her.

"Right after the incident we heard on the loud speaker MOB Port side! Thankfully the DCL [Disney Cruise Line] rescue team was on it immediately and both were saved!"

Police had to debunk rumours that a father who rescued his five-year-old daughter was responsible for the incident.

Rumours had been circulating online that the girl was being held on the railings of the 14-deck cruise ship moments before she toppled into the ocean on Sunday.

Police from the Broward Sheriff's Office set the record straight on July 1, telling CBS News Miami that the "little girl was not being held, as erroneously reported on some social media sites."

The Broward Sheriff's Office released the following statement on the incident: "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."