Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Early reports say Vanuatu govt minister died of cardiac arrest

Posted at 08:24 on 11 December, 2012 UTC

A preliminary doctor’s report says Vanuatu’s Minister for Infrastructure and Public Utilities and MP for Tanna, Harry Iauko, died this morning of a cardiac arrest.

Mr Iauko was rushed to Northern Provincial Hospital from a hotel in Luganville at around 10AM local time and was pronounced dead a short time later.

A spokesman from the office of Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Sato Kilman says they understand that Mr Iauko’s death stemmed from complications of having pneumonia.

Few other details are known about Mr Iauko’s death.

The second term MP is believed to have been in his mid to late 40s.

His body is being flown to Port Vila for a state funeral tomorrow at parliament house.

After the state funeral the body will be returned to Tanna for burial.