COPS have revealed how a five year old girl fell into the sea from a Disney cruise ship in a terrifying incident.

The child was rescued from the waves when her dad heroically leapt into the water to save her.

She fell from the fourth deck of the $900 million Disney Dream vessel on June 29 as the ship was heading from the Bahamas to Florida.

Her hero dad, 37, managed to keep her afloat for 20 minutes before rescue services arrived at the scene.

But the Florida Sheriff’s Office has now shared its findings on how exactly the nightmare incident unfolded.

Officials say that the girl had been sitting on a railing and fell into the sea when she lost her balance.

Her father did not see the incident to start with, and was alerted to the situation when his wife made him aware.

“After the girl’s mother alerted her husband, who didn’t see the incident, he jumped into the ocean to save his daughter,” a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said.

Crucially, the report has debunked online speculation that her dad had intentionally placed her on the railing to take photos.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office said the five-year-old fell “backwards through a porthole” by herself after losing her balance.

Witnesses heard the mother screaming and saying “she’s five and can’t swim”.

Once alert to the incident, the dad quickly leapt to the rescue and managed to keep his daughter afloat for 20 minutes, according to detectives.

They were then rescued from the waves and brought back on board.

Hundreds of passengers watched on as the terrifying events unfolded.

Passenger Monica Shannon told the Daily Mail that “the parents were playing shuffleboard and the girl was climbing on the railings.

“And as she went to climb up again she flew off.”

She added that high winds on the day could have contributed to the child falling into the ocean.

The ship’s captain notified passengers of the incident once the rescue effort was complete.

A Disney Cruise Lines spokesperson said: “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.”