Terrifying mystery of Disney cruise fall and cruel rumour about dad who saved daughter

Horror came aboard a Disney cruise ship last weekend when a little girl tumbled into the Atlantic Ocean from the fourth deck. Unfortunately, her family has since faced further distress, with police forced to shut down cruel rumours circulating online.

On Sunday, during a return journey to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from the Bahamas, the five-year-old plunged into the waters of the 14-deck Disney Cruise ship, to the horror of hundreds of onlooking passengers.

Thankfully, there was a hero on hand to save the day in true Disney fashion - the girl's devoted father, who leapt over the railings into the unforgiving waves after her.

The 37-year-old managed to keep his young daughter's head above water. Witnesses later shared that the pair tread water for approximately 10 minutes while staff set out to bring them back to safety using a yellow rescue boat.

Dramaticfootage shows the father and daughter being rescued,while eyewitnesses have since given their own accounts of the shocking incident.

READ MORE: Disney Cruise ship passenger reveals 'miracle' moment dad dived in to save daughter

A passenger by the name of Laura Amado told CBS News: "The ship was moving quickly, so quickly, it's crazy how quickly the people became tiny dots in the sea, and then you lost sight of them.

"The captain slowed the ship and turned it around, and then they deployed a tender ship with people on it to go get them, and we saw them rescue the dad and daughter."

Unfortunately, interest in the story has sparked inaccurate rumours about how the child ended up in the water, with the finger of blame wrongly pointed at her courageous father.

It was falsely claimed that the heroic dad had lifted the youngster on top of a 3.5-foot railing so as to take a picture, only for her to fall backwards in an accident that could have been catastrophic.

However, officers from the Broward County Sheriff's Office have since shut down this theory, revealing the truth behind these allegations. Setting the record straight in a statement, Sheriff Gregory Tony said the child had been sitting on the railing when she dropped backwards through a porthole.

However, the father didn't put her there, and hadn't even been present when the accident unfolded. The sheriff clarified: "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."

Police confirmed that the vessel's security video corroborated statements from staff and the family about what happened, the Daily Mail reports.

The brave dad was reportedly hurt as he battled to rescue his daughter and was hospitalised, but police have not given any further details.

A Disney spokesperson previously told The Mirror: "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." No serious injuries were reported, although it remains unclear how the child managed to fall over the ship's plexiglass barrier.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

READ MORE: Disney cruise ship fall: Girl's final act moments before falling overboard