Shock around world as Michael Jackson dies
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The self-styled King of Pop Michael Jackson has died after suffering a suspected heart attack.
His brother Jermaine Jackson said he believed the 50-year-old singer suffered a suspected cardiac arrest at his Holmby Hills home in Los Angeles and was taken to the UCLA medical centre where he was pronounced dead.
He said: 'My brother, the legendary King of Pop, passed away on Thursday June 25 at 2.26pm. 'We believe he suffered a cardiac arrest at his home, however the cause of his death is unknown until the results of the autopsy are known. The personal physician who was with him at the time attempted to resuscitated him.'
A spokesman for the hospital added: 'When he arrived at hospital at approximately 1.14pm a team of doctors including emergency physicians and cardiologists attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour, they were unsuccessful.'
TV footage showed a rescue helicopter flying the star's body to a waiting ambulance.
Tributes from the world of music, film and celebrity have flooded in. Sir Paul McCartney said of Michael Jackson's death: 'It's so sad and shocking. I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael.
'He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones.'
Jackson's first wife Lisa Marie Presley said: 'This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me.'
Madonna said: 'The world has lost one of its greats but his music will live on forever.'
The head of the Sony Corporation Sir Howard Stringer said: 'Michael Jackson was a brilliant troubadour for his generation, a genius whose music reflected the passion and creativity of an era.'
And Justin Timberlake - who has been compared to a young Jackson - said: 'We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only pop music, but of all music.'
A Los Angeles Police Department spokesman said the robbery and homicide team was investigating Jackson's death because of its 'high profile'. But he added nothing should be read into his team's involvement.
A post-mortem examination is expected to take place later, Los Angeles Coroner's Office spokesman Fred Corral said.
Jackson was about to embark on a comeback tour - This Is It, including 50 dates in London, which aimed to resurrect his fortunes.
Jackson last toured 12 years ago when he played 82 shows in 58 cities around the world for the HIStory tour.
Lighting director Patrick Woodroffe, who had been working with Jackson in Los Angeles on rehearsals for his London shows, said that in the last few days the singer appeared to have recaptured his old form.
He said: 'He was frail, you might say, but something seemed to happen over the weekend and when he came into rehearsal on Tuesday something really extraordinary seemed to happen.
'He came on stage at 9 o'clock in the evening and we all looked at each other and there was something that said that he really had it. Last night particularly, he came on stage and he was electric.
