Joël Rakotomalala

His Excellency
Colonel
Joël Rakotomalala
9th Prime Minister of Madagascar
In office
11 January 1976 – 30 July 1976
PresidentDidier Ratsiraka
Preceded byOffice Reestablished
Succeeded byJustin Rakotoniaina
Personal details
Born(1929-03-29)29 March 1929
Toliara Province, French Madagascar
Died30 July 1976(1976-07-30) (aged 47)
Antsirabe, Democratic Republic of Madagascar
Cause of deathHelicopter accident
Political partyAREMA

Joël Rakotomalala (Toliara Province, 29 March 1929 – Antsirabe, 30 July 1976) was a Malagasy military officer and politician.

Biography

Colonel of the Madagascar People's Armed Forces, he was Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Madagascar from 13 January 1976 to his death,[1] under the presidency of Admiral Didier Ratsiraka. He was a member of the Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar. He died in the accident of an Aérospatiale Alouette III transport helicopter during a short flight with the chief of staff Alphonse Rakotonirainy on 30 July 1976,[2] the last month of the presence of the French Armed Forces in Madagascar. He was replaced on 12 August as prime minister by Justin Rakotoniaina.[1]

The accident

The maximum seven-seat transport helicopter, with more than 40 kilograms of luggage, took off from Antananarivo on 30 July 1976 for several successive flights. It crashed at the third stage, around noon.[3] In view of the inflamed political situation, the accident gave rise to suspicions of sabotage.[4][2]

References

  1. ^ a b Didier Galibert (2011). Karthala – Cresoi / Université de la Réunion (ed.). Les gens du pouvoir à Madagascar – État postcolonial, légitimités et territoires (1956–2002) (in French). KARTHALA Editions. p. 458. ISBN 978-2-8111-0491-7.
  2. ^ a b Sud Aviation SE 3160 Accidents of Alouette III, by ASN Aviation Safety Database (consulted 8 June 2016).
  3. ^ (in French) Morts de Joël Rakotomalala et d’Alphonse Rakotonirainy: des révélations sur l’ « accident » d’Ankazimiroatra Archived 10 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine, La Nation, 1er septembre 2014 (interview de la fille d'Alphonse Rakotonirainy).
  4. ^ tropicale, Centre d'études de géographie; France), Centre d'étude et de recherches sur les sociétés de l'océan Indien (Aix-en-Provence (1989). La Deuxième République malgache (in French). Centre d'études de géographie tropicale. p. 49. ISBN 978-2-906621-10-7.
Political offices
Vacant
Title last held by
Gabriel Ramanantsoa 		Prime Minister of Madagascar
1976 		Succeeded by