Practical guidance
What to do if someone dies in Madagascar
This guide explains what happens after a death in Madagascar, who to contact, and how to arrange for your loved one to be brought home, to the UK, Ireland or any other country. Facts for British nationals come from FCDO and government sources. Every situation is different, and if you would like us to take over the arrangements, send us the details.
Typical timeline
5 to 8 weeks
FCDO 24hr helpline
+44 (0)20 7008 5000
When Someone Dies in Madagascar
Madagascar is a genuinely difficult repatriation destination. The country is large (roughly the size of France) with an almost non-existent rail network, severely degraded roads, and limited forensic pathology capacity even in the capital, Antananarivo. The eco-tourism destinations that attract most British visitors are remote. Deaths in those areas involve multi-stage evacuations before the formal repatriation process can begin.
The British Embassy is resident in Antananarivo. That is the main practical advantage.
Step 1: Immediate Notifications
- British Embassy Antananarivo: first consular contact.
- FCDO Emergency Travel Line: 020 7008 5000 (available 24 hours).
- Your travel insurer (notify immediately).
- Appoint a specialist UK repatriation company with Indian Ocean and Francophone Africa experience.
Step 2: Deaths in Antananarivo
For deaths in the capital, the process is difficult but manageable. Natural deaths are registered at the local fokontany (district administration) and an acte de décès is issued. Unnatural deaths involve the police and require a post-mortem at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d’Antananarivo (CHUAT). CHUAT has limited forensic capacity; complex cases take significant time.
Allow 3 to 5 weeks for natural deaths in Antananarivo. Unnatural deaths take 5 to 8 weeks.
Step 3: Remote Area Deaths
Popular tourist areas that are accessible only by small aircraft or degraded roads include:
- Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park (west coast, UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Ranomafana National Park (southeast)
- Masoala Peninsula (northeast)
- Avenue of the Baobabs (near Morondava, west coast)
- Isalo National Park (southwest)
Deaths in any of these areas require evacuation to Antananarivo before the formal process begins. Charter aircraft availability is not guaranteed. Road transfer in the rainy season (November to April) can take days on tracks that are impassable in a standard vehicle.
Small charter aircraft accidents are a documented cause of death for British visitors in Madagascar. These cases always require thorough investigation before export clearance.
Step 4: Nosy Be Island
Nosy Be in the northwest has its own international airport (Fascene, NOS) with some direct European charter services during peak season. Bodies cannot be exported directly from Nosy Be. The body must be transferred to Antananarivo for forensic processing and documentation before any export permit can be issued. This adds 2 to 5 days to the timeline.
Step 5: Documentation
- Acte de décès from the local fokontany (in French and Malagasy).
- Police report (in French).
- Post-mortem report from CHUAT (in French).
- Ministry of Health laissez-passer mortuaire (export permit, in French).
- Embalming certificate to IATA standards.
All documentation is in French and Malagasy. Certified translation into English is required for UK death registration, probate, and insurance purposes.
Step 6: Cargo Routing
Ivato International Airport (TNR) in Antananarivo has no direct flights to the UK. Air France via Paris CDG is the main routing. Kenya Airways via Nairobi, Air Mauritius via Mauritius, and Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa are alternatives. Cargo capacity is limited. The repatriation company books the most practical available routing.
Rainy Season (November to April)
The rainy season brings cyclones to the east coast and makes interior roads impassable. If a death occurs during cyclone season, air and road transport in the affected region may be suspended for days. This is a significant risk for any British traveller in Madagascar between November and April.
Further Information
First things first
What to do in the first 24 hours
The immediate period after a death abroad is disorienting. Here are the steps in the order they normally need to happen.
Contact local emergency services
Contact the embassy or consulate
Tell the embassy or consulate of your loved one's own country as soon as possible. It can register the death, give you a list of local funeral directors and explain what the local authorities will need.
British nationals, FCDO 24hr: +44 (0)20 7008 5000
Appoint a local funeral director
A local funeral director in Madagascar will take care of the body, arrange embalming, obtain the necessary documents, and coordinate with airlines. The embassy can recommend accredited directors. You can also contact a specialist UK repatriation company, who will coordinate with a local partner on your behalf.
Contact your travel insurer
If your loved one had travel insurance with repatriation cover, contact the insurer immediately. They will often have an emergency assistance line and may appoint their own funeral director. Many policies cover the full cost of repatriation, subject to the limit set out in the policy schedule.
Gather the required documents
Repatriation from Madagascar requires specific paperwork before a body can be transported. Your local funeral director will handle most of this.
What to expect
How long does it take?
Factors that can extend the timeline
- French and Malagasy documentation requiring certified translation
- Deaths in remote national parks or reserves accessible only by small aircraft or poor roads
- Limited forensic pathology capacity even in Antananarivo
- Complex unnatural death cases requiring government approval for export
Cost guide
What affects the cost?
Nobody publishes a reliable figure for Madagascar alone. Our cost page sets out the ranges repatriation firms publish, each named and dated. What you pay turns on the specifics of the case.
| Where the death happened | Distance to the departure airport, and any island or overland transfer, changes the freight arrangement |
| Whether a post-mortem is ordered | An investigation holds the release and adds mortuary time |
| Documentation required | Madagascar paperwork, translation, and any legalisation step |
| Coffin and preparation | Airline and destination rules dictate what is needed |
| Flight availability | Direct services cost less to arrange than multi-leg cargo routing |
| Insurance | Whether a policy covers repatriation, and up to what limit |
Send us the details and we will give you a figure for your case, with no obligation.
Full repatriation guide for Madagascar
Detailed information on the full repatriation process, embassy contacts, what affects the cost, cultural considerations, and more.
View full guideSend us the details
If you need someone to take over the arrangements, tell us what has happened. We arrange repatriation from Madagascar to the UK, Ireland or any other country.
Send an enquiryTell us what has happened in Madagascar
Send us the details and we will explain what happens next and prepare a quote for bringing your loved one home, to the UK, Ireland or any other country.
Reviewed by the Repatriate Service editorial team. Information sourced from UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) guidance, official embassy contacts, and professional repatriation experience. Facts last checked September 2026; page updated .
Official lists for Madagascar
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Sources: FCDO gov.uk · Repatriation from Madagascar · Frequently asked questions