Ruler's body flown home

2006-01-04 15:01

Sydney - The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashed al-Maktoum, died of a heart attack in Australia on Wednesday, national radio reported.

The private Boeing 747-400 of the late Dubai ruler would speed his body home for burial, said an airport official.

Spokesperson Jim Carden said: ?We recognise the cultural urgency in terms of getting his body back to his homeland for burial.

"We pulled out all stops in terms of setting up special security and baggage processing out of the public gaze to fast-track their requirements."

Australian media reports said the Dubai leader died while at a luxury hotel in northern Queensland state on Wednesday afternoon. It is believed the sheikh was in Australia for yearling horserace sales.

Carden said he had arrived in Brisbane on December 28 with a retinue of 33 people.

A statement issued in Dubai did not indicate the cause of death, but the Dubai ruler's office said that Sheikh Maktoum died early on Wednesday in Australia.

"He died from natural causes in Australia where he was on a private visit," said a UAE official who did not wish to be named.

Australia's national ABC radio did not cite a source for its report that the sheikh died of a heart attack.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed al-Maktoum, the defence minister of the United Arab Emirates, took over as ruler following his death, according to officials in Dubai.

- SAPA