Wellington – A 31-year-old New Zealander choked and died eating an airline meal on a flight from Singapore to Auckland, a newspaper reported Sunday.

His girlfriend, Vanessa Preechakul, 27, told the Herald on Sunday how she sat next to the body of Robert Rippingale after he was moved to a curtained off crew rest area for most of the 11-hour flight after a doctor on board pronounced him dead 90 minutes after takeoff.

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