A dad did what any frantic parent would — he plunged headfirst into the Atlantic Ocean after his 5-year-old daughter suddenly fell overboard from a Disney cruise ship. The heart-pounding rescue unfolded live, captured on the phones of shocked passengers.
The terrifying moment happened around 11 AM Sunday aboard the $900 million Disney Dream, as it sailed back to Fort Lauderdale from the Bahamas. The little girl slipped off the 4th deck, and without hesitation, her father dove in after her, refusing to wait for help.
For a nerve-wracking 20 minutes, father and daughter battled choppy waters, clinging to each other as crew members rushed to their aid. Finally, staff aboard a rescue boat pulled them to safety.
How the young girl ended up in the water remains a mystery — especially given the plexiglass safety barriers designed to prevent such accidents.