Madagascar investigating the death of an American diplomat in Antananarivo with the security of the State Department, a detained person

WASHINGTON – The death of an American diplomat in Madagascar is the subject of an investigation by US and local authorities and a person has been arrested, the US State Department announced on Monday. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the foreign service officer was found dead in Antananarivo, the nation's Indian Ocean capital off the east coast of Africa.

"Diplomatic security is working with Malagasy local authorities as part of a joint investigation and a suspect is currently in detention," Nauert told the Reuters news agency on Monday.

She said the department had expressed "heartfelt condolences" to the diplomat's family, but did not release any details Monday about the identity of the officer or the circumstances of the death.

The State Department said that the person was found Friday evening and that diplomatic security and the Malagasy authorities were cooperating in an investigation.