Saudi Arabia's king 'has been clinically dead for six days and is being kept alive by a ventilator' say local media

The king of Saudi Arabia has been 'clinically dead' for almost a week and is on life support machines, according to local media.
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud has been critically ill since last Wednesday, according to a Saudi journalist working in London, and has not been seen in public since.
The reporter, working for daily news service Asharq Alawsat, told Press TV that doctors used a defibrillator to revive him several times.

'Critically ill': Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud has not been seen in public; local media say he is 'clinically dead'

The 89-year-old monarch is reportedly only alive thanks to being linked up to a ventilator, but his vital organs have stopped functioning.
It is the second time the Saudi news service has reported the 'death' of the king in recent months.

The Royal Court, which represents the Saudi royal family, has yet to comment on the claims.

Heir: Brother and Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz was named by the King as his heir apparent after the death of their sibling Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz

In November last year, Saudi state media announced that the King had successfully undergone a back operation to tighten a loose ligament.
Contradicting this, Asharq Alawsat reported the king was 'clinically dead' almost a week after the procedure.
The news service said he had slipped into a coma, but this was rejected by the Royal Court.
The king appears to have suffered ongoing problems with his back.
In 2010 he had two operations in the US after suffering a herniated disc.
The stability of Saudi Arabia is of global concern given the importance of the country's role in crude oil exports. 
According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), Saudi Arabia's proven oil reserves in 2011 equated to almost a fifth of the world's reserves.
King Abdullah, who took power in 2005 after the death of King Fahd, named his brother Crown Prince Salman as heir apparent in June 2012 after the death of Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz. 
Prince Salman, who is 13 years younger than Abdullah, normally acts as his deputy in his absence. His official title is Deputy Prime Minister.

DAILYMAIL