Sigmund Ropich: Washington college student, 19, identified as passenger who fell off 'Wonder of the Seas' cruise ship

CUBA, CARRIBEAN: Sigmund Ropich, 19, a college student from Washington, has been identified as the passenger who fell overboard from the world's largest cruise ship — Wonder of the Seas — off the coast of Cuba on Tuesday, August 29.

His heartbroken family said Sigmund had been on holiday and was aboard the ship for two days before the tragic incident.

Sigmund Ropich's family is hoping for his return

Savannah Ropich, Sigmund's sister, wrote in a Facebook post, "I just want my brother home." Savannah has pleaded for people to help find her brother, who she described as a "cool, calm and collected" person.

Sigmund Ropich was affectionately known as 'boiboi'. "He is a son, a big and a little brother, a cousin, an uncle, a nephew, a friend, a homie, a classmate, a co-worker, a neighbor," Savannah added.

Savannah added that there is "an army rooting for him to come home," but conceded that expansive searches for the teenager are being wound down after they failed to find him in the days since he vanished.

Have rescuers stopped searching for Sigmund Ropich?

Ropich's family has been told by Cuban officials that the search in the ocean has been called off, as per the Insider.

"We were told by the Cuban officials that they are done searching in the ocean," Savannah said.

"They are continuing only on the coast and land. I have a strong feeling they’re going to end this search," she told the publication.

Though she and her family were initially kept in the dark about the search operation's reduced scope, they are hopeful that were the search in the ocean be resumed, Sigmund could be found.

"We need them to open it again," Savannah said.

Where was 'Wonder of the Seas' docked when Sigmund Ropich fell overboard?

The Wonder of the Seas was two days into its seven-day itinerary around the western Caribbean after it left Port Canaveral, Florida, on Sunday, August 27, when tragedy struck.

A passenger on board shared a video of the rescue on TikTok saying, "We are on a cruise ship 'Wonder of the Seas', the most beautiful ship ever,"

Adding, "However, tonight we have a missing person, somebody is in the water as we speak. We have seen the rescue team searching for the person."

In an update she filmed a search boat in the water, suggesting, "However, I am not sure if anybody will survive this current."

In another post, she claimed that the captain had told them the man had jumped after they saw the camera footage. "Yes, he had jumped off the ship. They searched for three and a half hours, but they didn't find his body" she claimed.

She said the search had to be stopped because there was a sick person on board. However, Savannah slammed the TikTok user saying she was spreading misinformation.

"She has been going on and on about the procedures and she is NOT helping anyone but herself for clout. She has no clue what is going on with the whereabouts of my brother."

How large is the 'Wonder of the Seas' cruise ship?

The Wonder of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world. It is 1,188 feet long and features 18 decks.

At capacity, the vessel can accommodate nearly 7,000 passengers and 2,300 crew members.

It features the largest waterpark at sea, which Royal Caribbean trumpets as a "lost island adventure where vacationers can test their limits and scale new heights."

The ship's crew as per reports immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said, "On August 29, a guest sailing on Wonder of the Seas went overboard.

The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities."