Dutch tourists stranded in Madagascar as deadly riots cancel flights
A group of Dutch tourists is stranded in Madagascar after violent unrest in the capital forced airlines to cancel flights home. At least two return flights have been scrapped, leaving the travelers confined to a hotel.
The group was scheduled to fly from Ivato International Airport to Schiphol with Emirates on Saturday, but the flight was canceled. “We are not allowed to leave our hotel now,” said Peter van der Wolf, one of the stranded travelers. An alternative flight with Turkish Airlines planned for Wednesday was also canceled. “Now we are waiting for the next update,” Van der Wolf told AD. The stranded Dutch group is staying at the Ibis Hotel in the business district, along with Canadians from Quebec and a French group.
Riots in Antananarivo have left several dead and prompted a citywide curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Heavily armed police used rubber bullets and tear gas against demonstrators, while witnesses reported looted shops and attacks on cable car stations.
Van der Wolf said provisions are limited: “We get three meals a day and three nonalcoholic drinks. But if you take a bottle of water, that already counts as two drinks.”
Following the unrest, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised its travel advice for Madagascar from yellow to orange. “Demonstrations in Madagascar lead to looting and violence. The situation is unpredictable,” the ministry said. “Travel only if it is strictly necessary.”
Tour operator Djoser confirmed that travelers currently in Madagascar will be assisted and that upcoming tours have been canceled. “Our airport is closed, so a lot of tourists are stuck here,” a Djoser traveler said.
The tourists had spent three weeks touring Madagascar’s national parks and cultural sites. “We had a beautiful trip,” Van der Wolf told AD. “But those of us who work now have to tell our employers that we’ll be late back to work.”
Madagascar is one of the world’s poorest countries, with over 70 percent of its population living below the poverty line. Public distrust of the government remains high, fueling repeated outbreaks of violence.
