King of Pop Michael Jackson today died of a cardiac arrest, officials confirmed.

Lieutenant Fred Corral, of the Los Angeles County Coroner's office, said Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm (02:56 IST) local time.

Corral told CNN that Jackson (50) was "unresponsive" when he was admitted to the hospital.

The music icon was not breathing when Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to a call at his Bel-Air mansion here about 12:30 local time (01:00 IST), Los Angeles Times quoted an official as saying.

Jackson was taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA medical centre here by the fire department paramedics.

Corral said an autopsy will "most likely" be carried out today.

People in large numbers gathered outside the hospital and his home at Sunset Boulevard to pay their last respects.

The first African-American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following, Jackson, was born on August 29,1958 at Gary in Indiana.

The pop icon is survived by three children - Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.

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