**Passenger Identified as 19-Year-Old Sigmund Ropich After Going Overboard from World’s Largest Cruise Ship**
The family of the passenger who went overboard from the world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, on Tuesday, has identified him as 19-year-old Sigmund Ropich. The incident occurred off the coast of Cuba during a seven-day cruise that departed from Port Canaveral, Florida.
According to U.S. officials and a company spokesperson, the ship’s crew immediately initiated a search for the missing person in collaboration with local authorities. The individual’s family has been in contact with both the U.S. Embassy in Cuba and the Cuban Embassy.
Savannah Ropich, a family member, shared with Fox News Digital that Cuban officials have transitioned their search efforts from the sea to the coast and land. However, the Coast Guard spokesperson stated that they are not currently conducting search and rescue operations since the incident occurred in Cuban territorial waters.
As the teenager is a U.S. citizen, the Coast Guard will launch an investigation upon the cruise ship’s return to the country. Ropich’s sister described him as a responsible and intelligent young man who excelled academically and worked hard. She also mentioned that he was on the cruise with his best friends, a co-worker, and the co-worker’s family.
Passengers aboard the Wonder of the Seas shared videos on TikTok showing a rescue boat near the cruise ship attempting to locate the overboard passenger. An employee’s announcement over the cruise’s PA system confirmed the incident and mentioned the ship’s immediate response to initiate search and rescue operations.
This unfortunate incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safety measures on cruise ships and the need for thorough investigations to prevent potential incidents in the future.
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*Note: The content of this article is based on the provided information and may be subject to change as the investigation progresses.*