SAN SALVADOR, March 10: A Salvadoran woman believed to be 128 years old and possibly the world’s oldest person, has died, a family friend said on Friday. Cruz Hernandez, whose national birth records show, was born on May 3, 1878, in central El Salvador, passed away in her sleep on Thursday, neighbour and close family friend Margarita Ascencio said by telephone.

Ms Hernandez died without being recognised by the Guinness Book of Records.

“She had been poorly for a few days, and yesterday, after eating a tamale and drinking some milk, she went to sleep and never woke up,” Ascencio said.

She gave birth to 13 children and ended up with at least 60 grandchildren, 80 great-grandchildren and 25 great-great grandchildren.—Reuters