KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Russia’s ambassador to Sudan, Mirgayas Shirinskiy, was found dead in the swimming pool at his home in Khartoum on Wednesday, the Sudanese police said.

The ambassador, who was known to have suffered from high blood pressure, is believed to have died of natural causes, a spokesman for the police told Reuters.

Sudan’s foreign ministry expressed its condolences to Russia in a statement, hailing Shirinskiy’s diplomatic efforts.