Madagascar's exiled former leader Marc Ravalomanana failed in a dramatic bid to return home yesterday when the island nation's government abruptly closed its airspace - forcing the aircraft he was on to turn back to South Africa.
The 85-seater SA Airlink aircraft narrowly made it back to OR Tambo International Airport with just enough fuel to land.
Ravalomanana, who was ousted in a military coup nearly three years ago, then refused to disembark in what became a tense stand-off at the airport until government officials persuaded him to leave the aircraft.
Yesterday's bid to go home was the second by Ravalomanana. In February last year he was barred from boarding an SA Airlink flight to Madagascar.
Thousands of Ravalomanana's supporters gathered at the airport in the capital, Antananarivo, yesterday before authorities closed it down.
Ravalomanana has been sentenced, in absentia, to life in prison for the death of opposition protesters who died ahead of the coup in which he was ousted. Ravalomanana has called the tribunal illegitimate.
The Southern African Development Community has for months tried to broker a deal paving the way for his return and the holding of elections.
Peter Sullivan, a journalist travelling with Ravalomanana yesterday, told the Sunday Times the former leader had refused to disembark when the aircraft returned to South Africa because "he had no bodyguards present and he has no permission to be in South Africa".
Ravalomanana was exiled in March 2009 after a coup backed by the military which handed power to Rajoelina, a former disk jockey and mayor of Antananarivo.
Shortly before he left on the flight bound for Madagascar yesterday, Ravalomanana said he was not worried about being arrested on the island as Madagascan Prime Minister Omer Beriziky had assured him "everything was okay".
South African Deputy Foreign Minister Marius Fransman on Friday urged Ravalomanana not to return home.
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