Madagascar: A Private Jet Escapes the Crisis to Mauritius, Carrying the Former PM and a Controversial Tycoon

In the midst of a political and social crisis that has been shaking Madagascar since mid-September, a private jet registered as 5R-HMR, owned by the SODIAT group, landed in the dead of night at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport in Plaisance, Mauritius. On board were former Prime Minister Christian Ntsay, who was ousted a week prior, and Maminiaina Ravatomanga, known as "Mamy," an influential businessman and close advisor to President Andry Rajoelina. This hasty departure, occurring in an increasingly unstable climate, has fueled speculation within the island nation and further isolated the Malagasy Head of State.

The Cessna 560XL took off from Antananarivo at 9:19 PM on Saturday, October 11, after a day marked by massive protests and dissent within the military. According to credible sources, the aircraft attempted multiple times to land at La Réunion Airport, but French authorities denied permission citing security concerns. After two and a half hours of flight, the plane landed at 12:44 AM on the tarmac of Plaisance. Upon disembarking, the passengers—including Mamy Ravatomanga's family—were escorted by a convoy of four vehicles to exit the airport premises, avoiding prying eyes.

In Madagascar, the event initially sparked panic: many feared that President Rajoelina himself had fled the country to escape public anger. This was not the case. On board were Louis Christian Ntsay, an economist by training and Prime Minister from June 2018 to October 2025; Maminiaina Ravatomanga; his wife Aina Fenosoa Ravatomanga; their children Ramy Nivo Haingonirina Rakotoniary and Ramy Mialy Tiana Ravatomanga; and six crew members.

Mamy Ravatomanga, a prominent figure in power, is accused by protesters of having plundered national resources. Owner of the SODIAT conglomerate—founded in 1990 as a transport company and expanded into oil maintenance, construction, media, hospitality, tourism, health, and import-export—he was listed by Forbes in 2017 as the second-richest man in Madagascar. Of mixed Malagasy-Ivorian descent, he is perceived as the main financier of President Rajoelina's campaign.

The Malagasy crisis, triggered on September 25 by protests against the high cost of living and governance, escalated into urban violence in Antananarivo. Loss of life, looting, and widespread insecurity led the President to dissolve Christian Ntsay's government on September 29, citing "the scale of the crisis and the impossibility of containing public anger." On October 6, Christian Ntsay was officially replaced. However, instability increased on Saturday with defections within the army's CAPSAT department, which sided with the protesters in the capital.

In this explosive context, the "Génération Z Malagasy Maurice," a collective from the Mauritian diaspora, reacted with indignation. In an urgent statement released on Sunday, the group denounced a "suspicious landing of a Malagasy private jet in Mauritius - We demand truth and justice." They expressed their "deep concern and indignation" regarding the landing of a Trans Ocean Airways (TOA) aircraft on Mauritian tarmac at 12:47 AM, noting that the plane, while linked to SODIAT, operated under the TOA banner. The circumstances, deemed "more than troubling," raised "serious questions about compliance with international aviation conventions and the sovereignty of Mauritius."

The statement lists three indisputable facts: a landing refusal at La Réunion by French authorities; violations of aviation procedures, including lack of overflight authorization, takeoff without an active transponder, and a premature fuel declaration (low fuel); and an "unacceptable Mauritian discrimination," with a "mysteriously" issued call from La Réunion to land in Mauritius at "a late hour."

The collective demands three immediate responses: identification of the passengers and reasons for the landing; an investigation into the blatant procedural violations; and the immediate arrest and extradition of those suspected. "We demand the immediate arrest and extradition. Considering the serious irregularities of the flight and the risk that these individuals may be involved in acts of corruption or repression against the Malagasy people, we urge the Mauritian authorities to take action," they wrote. They called for full cooperation with Malagasy justice and to deny asylum to individuals who "betray the trust of the Malagasy people."

For its part, the Malagasy Presidency responded in a sober statement released on Sunday in Antananarivo. "The Presidency of the Republic wishes to inform the Nation and the international community that an illegal and forceful attempt to seize power, contrary to the Constitution and democratic principles, is currently underway on national territory," the text announced. President Rajoelina, "guarantor of national unity," condemned "with the utmost firmness this destabilization attempt" and called on "all the active forces of the Nation to unite to defend constitutional order and national sovereignty." He reiterated that "dialogue is the only way and outlet in resolving this crisis currently facing the country" and that "any act of deterioration of public property is contrary to the supreme interest of the Nation." The Malagasy people are invited to "remain united and prevent any attempt at destabilization and division that jeopardizes the progress towards Madagascar's development."

Mamy Ravatomanga, targeted by the slogans of the Génération Z—who chant his name in the streets of Antananarivo demanding his judgment—publicly defended himself on October 6 during a special broadcast. Confronted with accusations that his companies were spared from looting, he replied, "If my companies were not victims of looting, it may be because many people were helped by our association and that beneficiaries voluntarily come to help us secure our sites. It has been said that for the looting, I would be behind, with militias, helping the gendarmes. That has never existed and will never exist. The men I train at my academy are only used for private security. They want to demonize my name and that of my company."

Regarding his closeness to the president, whom he finances, Mamy Ravatomanga insisted, "I have no problem with him. Perhaps some do, people abroad who like to think that a dispute between us could weaken the President of the Republic. They are wrong."

Despite these denials, the allegations against him weigh heavily: embezzlement of public funds at Jirama, where he sat on the board of directors; monopolistic practices on vanilla and lychee. His secretive departure alongside the former Prime Minister reignites suspicions of elite flight in the face of a popular revolt. In Mauritius, the Malagasy diaspora remains vigilant: "We will remain vigilant and closely monitor this matter. The struggle for transparency and justice does not stop at Madagascar’s borders. It is carried by every Malagasy, wherever they are. Truth and Justice for the Malagasy People," concludes the communiqué from Génération Z.

Mauritian authorities, for their part, are closely monitoring the situation, according to government sources. Although the landing of the private jet did not raise immediate incident, Port-Louis has reaffirmed its vigilance regarding developments in Madagascar. In the event of an asylum request from Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina or other regime figures, the matter would be examined on a case-by-case basis, accepted or denied depending on the circumstances and context, in compliance with international obligations regarding non-refoulement and sovereignty.

On Sunday, protests continued in Antananarivo, while the dialogue advocated by the president struggles to take off. Could the temporary exile of these key figures ease tensions or, conversely, stoke anger?