Ronaldo Z. Concha Saudia Gazette JEDDAH — An ailing overseas Filipino worker in Jeddah died while on a flight back to Manila. Raymund Davis revealed that his friend Reynaldo Santos Ofracio succumbed to illness — diagnosed with liver cirrhosis — while on a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight to Manila. Four hours into the flight to Manila from the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, Ofracio passed away. The flight SV874 arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Saturday afternoon. The 56-year-old Audio Visual Specialist, Ofracio, was traveling with his wife Dorothy at that time of the incident. Dorothy, explained in a telephonic interview with Saudi Gazette, that her husband complained of difficulty in breathing and in spite of efforts exerted by the plane's crew Ofracio did not make it. Dorothy refused the pilot's proposal to go for an emergency landing and instead requested him to continue the flight to Manila. The couples' friends in Jeddah were notified of the incident and were surprised at the sudden death of their friend. “We were all very happy that we took some souvenir shots in the airport before they boarded the plane. Rest In Peace Bro Rey,” Davis said. “We will miss Rey and will remember his kindness and down to earth attitude especially in our community,” he added. Ofracio had spoken to Saudi Gazette in the hospital on Friday afternoon while waiting to be discharged. He was very happy at that time on going home for good, and had stated that he would be taking rest at his hometown in Marilao Bulacan. “I am happy to be going home but I will miss my friends here, I'm OK now,” Ofracio said while leaving the hospital. Before the flight the couple had asked an advocacy group's help to provide them with ambulance assistance when they arrive at the Manila Airport. OWWA Welfare Officer Romeo Pablo said he had already coordinated the request of the couple and their ambulance would transport Offracio when he arrived. Pablo said their counterpart in Manila did assist the wife to transport her husband's body after they arrived in Manila. OWWA staff in Jeddah said Ofracio's family would be given his benefits, as he was a member.
