This happened on beautiful little Maré, one of the Loyalty Islands running along the north of New Caledonia, after we left…it was all so chilled-out when we were there – nothing more incendiary than the Pacific Games torch ceremony! Too sad...

France has asked religious mediators to defuse protests in New Caledonia over rising air fares that have resulted in four dead and 23 wounded.

The conflict at the airport on Mare island in the French territory follow months of political instability triggered by the adoption of the indigenous Kanak flag alongside the French tricolour.

On Saturday, a group of 300 residents who support the local Kanak leader Nidoish Naisseline, also the chairman of Air Caledonie, had tried to disband protesters who were asking for air fares to be cut.