Joël Rakotomalala
{{Short description|Malagasy military officer and politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Joël Rakotomalala
| honorific_prefix = His Excellency
Colonel
| order = 9th
| office = Prime Minister of Madagascar
| term_start = 11 January 1976
| term_end = 30 July 1976
| president = Didier Ratsiraka
| predecessor = Office Reestablished
| successor = Justin Rakotoniaina
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|3|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = Toliara Province, French Madagascar
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1976|7|30|1929|3|29|df=y}}
| death_place = Antsirabe, Democratic Republic of Madagascar
| death_cause = Helicopter accident
| nationality = Malagasy
| party = AREMA
}}
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,{{cite book|language=fr|title=Les gens du pouvoir à Madagascar – État postcolonial, légitimités et territoires (1956–2002)|author=Didier Galibert|editor=Karthala – Cresoi / Université de la Réunion|date=2011|isbn=978-2-8111-0491-7|page=458|publisher=KARTHALA Editions |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DoEG8JNlKvAC&q=%22Jo%C3%ABl+Rakotomalala%22&pg=PA548}} 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,[http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/dblist.php?AcType=ALO3 Sud Aviation SE 3160 Accidents of Alouette III], by ASN Aviation Safety Database (consulted 8 June 2016). 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.
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.{{in lang|fr}} [http://fr.africatime.com/articles/morts-de-joel-rakotomalala-et-dalphonse-rakotonirainy-des-revelations-sur-l-accident Morts de Joël Rakotomalala et d’Alphonse Rakotonirainy: des révélations sur l’ « accident » d’Ankazimiroatra] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810103446/http://fr.africatime.com/articles/morts-de-joel-rakotomalala-et-dalphonse-rakotonirainy-des-revelations-sur-l-accident |date=10 August 2016 }}, La Nation, 1er septembre 2014 (interview de la fille d'Alphonse Rakotonirainy). In view of the inflamed political situation, the accident gave rise to suspicions of sabotage.{{Cite book|last1=tropicale|first1=Centre d'études de géographie|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fEswAAAAYAAJ|title=La Deuxième République malgache|last2=France)|first2=Centre d'étude et de recherches sur les sociétés de l'océan Indien (Aix-en-Provence|date=1989|publisher=Centre d'études de géographie tropicale|pages=49|isbn=978-2-906621-10-7|language=fr}}
References
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{{s-vac|last=Gabriel Ramanantsoa}}
{{s-ttl|title=Prime Minister of Madagascar|years=1976}}
{{s-aft|after=Justin Rakotoniaina}}
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{{MadagascarPMs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rakotomalala, Joël}}
Category:Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar politicians
Category:Malagasy military personnel
Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Madagascar
Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1976
Category:Victims of helicopter accidents or incidents
Category:State leaders killed in aviation accidents or incidents