Senior US Senator and former presidential candidate John McCain died at the age of 81 on Saturday.

　　“Senator John Sidney McCain III died at 4:28 p.m. on August 25, 2018. With the Senator when he passed were his wife Cindy and their family," said his office in a statement. "At his death, he had served the United States of America faithfully for sixty years.”

　　U.S. Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) listens as he is being introduced at a campaign rally in Denver, Colorado October 24, 2008. [File photo: VCG]

　　McCain was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017 and he began playing a reduced role in the Senate. In a statement by his family posted on Friday, he announced his decision to give up medical treatment.

　　The veteran politician served as the US Senator from Arizona for over 30 years. He was also the Republican nominee for the US presidential election in 2008, which he lost to Barack Obama.