PNG's former prime minister Skate dead

Sydney (AP) Papua New Guinea's former Prime Minister William Skate died in a hospital in neighbouring Australia early yesterday, an official said. He was 52.

Skate died in Wesley Hospital in the eastern Australian city of Brisbane, according to a statement released by Papua New Guinea's acting prime minister, Sir Moi Avei.

Stroke

The former leader was rushed last week to a hospital in his country's capital, Port Moresby, with signs of a stroke, Papua New Guinea's The Nation newspaper reported.

Skate was later flown to Brisbane, where he was placed on a life support system for two days, the newspaper said.

He was elected a member of parliament in 1992 and became prime minister in 1997 in the aftermath of the so-called Sandline affair, in which his predecessor, Sir Julius Chan, paid mercenaries to put down a rebellion in the country's Bougainville province.