Dhaka, April 23 -- Pope Francis died little more than half an hour after being taken ill, Sky News reports, citing sources in the Vatican.

The pope woke at 6am on Monday, and was fine for at least an hour, sources said, as they revealed details of the pontiff's final moments.

Around 7am, the Vatican's medical unit received an emergency call from his Casa Santa Marta apartment.

The options considered included an urgent transfer to the Gemelli hospital, where he was treated for pneumonia earlier this year.

Rome police received a request for an urgent escort from the Vatican after 7am, sources there said, but, given how quickly his condition worsened, it was cancelled by Vatican officials before 7:35am.

Francis died at the age of 88, a ...