RIYADH, June 16: Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, the 79-year-old crown prince of Saudi Arabia, died in Geneva on Saturday.

A statement from the king carried by the official news agency said Prince Nayef died “outside the kingdom” and would be laid to rest in Makkah on Sunday.

The 79-year-old prince died of “cardiac problems” while he was at his brother’s residence in Geneva, Switzerland, according to a medical source in the city.

He had gone abroad several times this year for medical reasons, including to Algeria, the United States and Switzerland, where he was seen a few days ago.

On May 26, the SPA news agency had said Prince Nayef had left the country for medical tests for the second time in less than three months.

Prince Nayef, interior minister since 1975, was appointed crown prince in October last year after the death of his elder brother and predecessor, Crown Prince Sultan.

No one is officially in line to replace Prince Nayef, but Prince Salman, who took over the portfolio of defence minister after Prince Sultan’s death, appears to be a strong candidate. Prince Salman has been the governor of Riyadh for almost five decades.