Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah passes away in hospital

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has reportedly passed away in hospital, royal officials said.

The 90-year-old had been in hospital for several weeks and was suffering from a lung infection, reported the BBC.

A statement released by the royal family on Friday had earlier said that his brother, Salman, had become king. However, before the announcement, the television cut to Koranic verses, which often indicates the death of a senior royal.

Abdullah was the fifth of his brothers to take the throne in 2005 but suffered frequent bouts of illness in recent years.