Police set record straight as dad's incredible cruise ship rescue of daughter revealed

Officials have been forced to dispel vicious online rumours that a hero dad who leapt off a cruise ship to save his daughterhad caused the accident.

The five-year-old girl plummeted from the fourth deck of the $900million (£661million) Disney Dream cruise ship as it travelled from the Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale. Showing incredible bravery, her 37-year-old dad immediately jumped 50ft into the ocean, before spending 20 minutes holding her while treading water until they were rescued.

His daring efforts were initially applauded online, before viral theories emerged saying he had lifted her on to a railing to take a photograph before she fell. Broward County Sheriff's Office has now officially disspelled the rumours, explaining that the girl had been sitting on a railing when she fell through a porthole and into the ocean. However, they were clear the dad had not put her there.

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Sheriff Gregory Tony told reporters: “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 father's version of events has been corroborated thanks to surveillance footage aboard the ship.

“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,” he said.

The alarm was raised moments after the girl fell in the water, with "man overboard" warnings sounding through the entire ship. The speed of the alarm helped rescuers act quickly. Thousands of fellow passengers watched on in horror as rings were chucked into the ocean and a rescue craft raced to the scene.

One witness, passenger Nikki Samsill Jackson, told the Daily Mail: “When they were rescued, dad had his arms around his child and he was treading water. Everybody was cheering.”

Elinor Finkelstein, a New Yorker aboard the cruise, witnessed the drama play out, but said crew members did a great job of "not panicking at all." Finkelstein said: "(They) kept everyone calm. No frenzy or screaming. Everyone was concentrating on the scene. It was an absolute miracle."

The passenger told how an emergency "Mr M.O.B" alert rang out over the intercom - code signifying a person overboard. Finkelstein told ARC Rochester: "I first heard the Mr. Mob announcement over the speakers probably between 11.15 to 11.30 in the morning. I went up to the pool deck and everybody was standing around watching.

"Seeing the boat go out and seeing that rescue happen was incredible. I had no idea that a cruise ship could turn around so quickly. It was a successful rescue, and by about 11.50ish, the boat was back to the ship. Everyone was cheering, and it was definitely a miracle."