It appears a child fell off the pier into the ocean at Royal Caribbean's private island, putting the child between the ship and the pier.
A variety of reports from cruise ship passengers visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay for the day indicate the child fell into the water.
"At CocoCay today a small child fell in the water between the dock and the Symphony," Henry Yeany posted in an unofficial Facebook group dedicated to Royal Caribbean.
Two Royal Caribbean ships were docked in CocoCay today, Symphony of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas.
The incident occurred in the area of the pier where the cruise ship is tied up to the moorings. There's a gap between the ship and the pier because of buoys that cushion the friction between ship and dock.
There is a bright yellow warning line meant to caution passengers from getting too close.
Luckily, it appears the child was rescued.
"We are on Oasis and heard a bunch of screaming. The child was rescued in a matter of a few minutes. The mother and child got back onboard the Symphony."
Up to two cruise ships can dock at a time at CocoCay, and there are clearly marked lines with warning signs not to approach the edge of the pier.
Moreover, crew members actively warn passengers to move away from the edge of the pier. It's common to see guests attempting to peer over the side of the pier to look at the water color or fish. Or to take family photos there.
Photos taken by Mr. Yeany show crew members looking into the water to help assist the child.
Later, the child is seen being carried back onto the ship by an adult.
Cruisers react to the incident
The incident sparked many emotions among cruisers who were glad the child is okay, and also expressed frustrating it happened in the first place.
"This has always been such a big fear of mine! So scary!" wrote Genevieve Dias on a Facebook post.
Suzy Torrez thinks a barrier is necessary, "Maybe think of putting up a guard fence cause not all parents keep an eye on their children from being excited and taking pics."
That idea may not be as easy as it sounds, as the pier needs to be clear for gangways and supply ramps to be used to offload items and people from the ship.
Others assigned blame on the parent for not more closely watching their child. The opinions were mixed, as no parent can constantly hold their child all the time. Plus, the spectacle of the private island is an easy distraction. As with so many accidents, it takes just a quick moment for something like this to occur.
Woman fell into the water last month
Another passenger went off the side of CocoCay's pier last month.
A video shared by richiegino shows a woman in the ocean, between the ship and pier, attempting to get out of the water.
At the start of the video, she is clinging to one of the buoys attached to the pier that is meant to cushion the impact of a ship docking.
A life preserver was then given to her so she could float, presumably until she could be properly rescued out of the water.
How to keep your family safe
Incidents like this might give you pause, but the reality is following the rules can make a big difference in ensuring it never occurs.
First and foremost, follow all posted signs and warnings. The edges of the pier are clearly marked with a large yellow line meant to keep you from going near it.
It's tempting to look over the side, especially if there's a fish nearby or simply to admire the view. You're better off doing so from one of the decks of your ship instead.
For families, it's a good idea to hold hands of children as they walk on or off the gangway. Reminds kids constantly to stay within designated area, and keep an eye on them at all times.
