The Latest Breaking News from New Caledonia

The French government is trying to renew dialogue between New Caledonia’s pro and anti-independence groups. Negotiations broke down after a third referendum in 2021 rejected full sovereignty for the Pacific Ocean island group.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne is meeting Tuesday with pro- and anti-independence factions from New Caledonia as part of a continued attempt to find an institutional future for the territory that has voted three times against independence.

Supporters and opponents of independence in New Caledonia – whose future status must be negotiated with the French government – are expected to travel to Paris next month for talks.

France's Interior and Overseas Minister, Gerald Darmanin, has returned to New Caledonia to resume talks on the Pacific territory's future status after it voted to remain French in a third and final referendum at the end of 2021. However, the pro-independence FLNKS movement refuses to recognise the result.

Chris Davis died after being bitten multiple times by a shark while swimming at Chateau Royal beach south of Nouméa

A Sydney tourist who died after being attacked by a shark at a busy beach on the French Pacific island of New Caledonia was a "beloved" father and husband.

The Australian tourist, 59, who was reportedly travelling alone, was swimming near a pontoon around 500ft off Chateau-Royal beach, in Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia - a French Pacific island territory around 750miles east of Australia

The man was swimming close to a pontoon around 150m from the beach in the capital Noumea when he was attacked

‘There was blood everywhere, we could see it from the beach’

An Australian man has died in a shark attack in front of onlookers at a crowded beach in New Caledonia.

A referendum to determine the legal status of New Caledonia will not be held in mid-2023 as planned, France’s Overseas Territories Minister announced on Monday.