Girl falls overboard on Disney cruise ship – with father jumping in after her

A girl who fell overboard on a Disney cruise ship has been rescued from the water – along with her father who jumped in after.

Crew members pulled the pair to safety as the vessel was returning from The Bahamas to Florida on the final day of the voyage.

A passenger told Sky News’ US partner NBC that the child had been sat on the rail of the fourth-floor deck while a picture was being taken.

“We watched it, you could see two little things… It was crazy, it was horrific,” Gar Frantz said.

Another person onboard, Gail Merrick, said she was playing bingo when she noticed a commotion on deck – and witnessed the rescue unfold.

“We came to find out that it was a child and then the father had gone in after the child, so we were watching with bated breath basically waiting for what would happen,” she told NBC News.

Disney Cruise Lines said the pair were “swiftly rescued”, adding: “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.”

James Tackett, another eyewitness, said “everyone cheered” when it was announced the father and daughter were safe.

His mother Brenda added: “The Disney Cruise Line staff were phenomenal, the crew, everybody was on it.

“You could tell they’ve practiced this, hopefully have never used it before, but they were great. The whole thing was maybe 10, 15 minutes, and they safely got back on board.”