Vanuatu's President Baldwin Lonsdale has passed away, the government confirmed over the weekend.

According to Vanuatu's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and External Trade, Lonsdale died on Saturday, and a 10-day national state of mourning has been declared.

Lonsdale, 67, died in the Pacific island country's capital of Port Vila, local newspaper - the Vanuatu Daily Post said.

Prior to his sudden death, Lonsdale was rushed to a local hospital after a suspected heart attack.

Lonsdale was elected and sworn in as Vanuatu's president in 2014.

Under the country's constitution, the parliament speaker is now the acting president, before a new head of state is elected.