Flags are flying at half mast in Pago Pango this morning as American Samoa mourns the death of the territory's governor, Tauese Sunia.
The 61 year old Governor died on a Polynesian Airlines flight to Honolulu last night.
The Governor was being airlifted to Honolulu for further diagnostic testing after spending five days in the LBJ Hospital Intensive Care Unit suffering from abdominal pains.
Reports from Honolulu say the Governor suffered a cardiac arrest about halfway into the flight.
Tauese, who was the first American Samoan governor to serve two consecutive terms in office had been governor for seven years.
A teacher by profession, he has been described as the most charismatic chief executive the territory has had.
He was also highly regarded in Samoa where his uncle was the late prime minister Tofilau Eti Alesana.
Under the constitution, the Lieutenant Governor, Togiola Tulafono, takes over as governor.
