Disney Cruise Line crew pulled off an incredible double rescue in June, saving a five-year-old who fell 50ft into the sea and her father who jumped in after her. Here’s how they did it
The Disney Cruise Line has been rocked by two tragic incidents in recent months, with a five-year-old girl falling 50ft through a porthole and a man falling overboard to his presumed death.
The youngster’s dad jumped in the sea to rescue his daughter, triggering the sensors of the ship’s man overboard alarm, which had not been set off when the girl fell in because she was too small.
But tragically, a 73-year-old man is feared dead after falling overboard a Melbourne to Auckland cruise ship this weekend. Here, your Daily Star takes a look at what happens when someone falls overboard on the Disney ship.
Man overboard alert
As passengers reported hearing, when someone goes overboard on a cruise ship, the first action is a ‘man overboard’ alert to the bridge, prompting the ship’s crew to spring into rescue mode.
Anyone who witnesses a person falling into the sea should report immediately, giving as precise a description as possible: where on the ship it happened, what the person was wearing and exactly when it occurred.
Pinpointing the incident
When the bridge receives a ‘man overboard’ report, they log the ship’s coordinates and as much detail as possible about the fall. Disney Cruise Line ships are equipped with overboard detection systems that are designed to alert the crew to any potential incidents in real-time.
In addition, all Disney Cruise Line passengers are required to participate in a muster drill, in compliance with US Coast Guard and international safety regulations.
In the latest horror incident – in which a 73-year-old man fell into the water as the cruise liner headed towards New Zealand – the ship turned around in the Tasman Sea.
Turning a massive 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.
Launching the search
The crew onboard Disney Cruise ships are fully trained and equipped to handle emergency situations. Passengers on the Disney Dream shared videos to social media of the crew launching lifebuoy rings and a rescue boat within minutes of the alarm going off when the young girl fell in June.
One passenger said on Facebook: “A girl fell overboard from the 4th deck & her dad went in after her. Right after the incident we heard on the loud speaker MOB (Man over board) Port side!! Thankfully, the DCL (Disney Cruise Line) rescue team was on it immediately and both were saved!”
Another wrote: “A little girl fell overboard and her dad jumped overboard to try to save her. Man overboard calls went up immediately. The Disney crew went into action asap. Lots of praying folks on this ship! Both the little girl and dad were both successfully rescued.”
After the incident in June, a Disney Cruise Line spokesman said “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.”
Support for friends and family
Officers and trained staff provide emotional support to the traveling companions of the overboard passenger during the search. And family and friends are often given the option to disembark at the next port so they can be with loved ones ashore, Unliad reports.
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