Needing Help. Body recovery.

[lonewolf]

Hi everyone.
Been a while since last time here. Hope everyone is doing well.
I know this is a long shot but there are many people here from all over the world so who knows.
Does anyone here have any expertise in getting a body back home from another Country? My friend's father passed away 6 months ago while working in Saudi Arabia. His body is still over there. She is trying to get him back home to the Philippines. After 6 months of pain for my friend we are all trying everything to help. Anybody here have any connections? Any advice? Suggestions? Thank you all for your time.

[ckelly78z]

Wow, that's a tough situation during these covid times, I don't have any answers for you, but wish you well in your efforts.

[rfuerst911sc]

I have zero expertise on this but my suggestion is start with local government . Hopefully that will lead to a foreign consulate representative from your country that can pull some strings . Another suggestion might be your local morgue . Lastly call a local funeral home to see if any help or suggestions . Good luck .

[snbush67]

I think she should register on this website and contact them;

https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform’

https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/saudi-arabia/

If the deceased wasn’t an American citizen then she might try to contact the Philippines embassy to the US.

[lonewolf]

Thanks guys.
She and her father are both Filipino citizens . He did not die of Covid .

[LakeCleElum]

You local funeral home can arrange to have a coffin shipped by air. When I did courier work, I'd see coffins coming in via air cargo. It's not cheap.

Would suggest cremation and then ship a urn of ashes if possible.

[2.7RS]

Your friend should talk to Filipino Consulate in Saudi Arabia or closest to it
They have the obligation to help.
Once they deal with the paperwork funeral home deals with the transportation
Something that concerns me is where the body is stored and associated cost. This depending on the country can be astronomical.

[MRM]

LakeCleElum is correct. You start by calling the international airline that has the best routes from Saudi Arabia to the Philippines. They are experienced transferring bodies and they will have the protocol and procedures to follow. Start by completing the process set by the airline. Then you would put them in touch with the local funeral home and they should take care of the rest, but there will be a fee for the additional paperwork.

[Flat Six]

FWIW, Philippine embassy in SA:

https://riyadhpe.dfa.gov.ph/

[rfuerst911sc]

I sure hope the problem/run around doesn't mean the body is lost .

[lonewolf]

No . He was a overseas foreign worker and the company he worked for is suppose to handle everything . In fact it is the law there but they are not and it's making everything more difficult and taking time. I am tryin to find out the exact issue so it can be dealt with and connect with the person or people who can deal with it.

[rusnak]

They have a Department of Foreign Affairs. If you're not talking to them, then you have not even started the process.