ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- United Arab Emirates President and ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nayhan died Tuesday, official television reports. He was 86.
Vice President and Dubai ruler Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashed will take over automatically until the Supreme Council members -- the ruling members of each of the seven emirates making up the UAE -- elect a successor.
Zayed became president in 1971 and was re-elected to the top post at five-year intervals.
His son, Sheikh Khalifah, who is the crown prince and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, will succeed him as ruler of Abu Dhabi.
Zayed's health has been deteriorating for years. He underwent spinal surgery in 1996 and a kidney transplant in 2000.
The oil-rich UAE is made up of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Quaiwan, Ras al-Khaimah, Ajman and Fujairah.
