Alex Salmond’s body met by family and piper as plane lands in Aberdeen

The erstwhile archetypal minister’s family, including his wife, Moira, and acting Alba Party leader, Kenny MacAskill, greeted the coffin arsenic a piper played Freedom Come All Ye.

Funeral directors placed his coffin, which was draped successful a Saltire, into a hearse aft helium arrived astatine Aberdeen Airport conscionable earlier 2pm connected Friday.

Businessman Sir Tom Hunter had paid for a backstage formation to transport Mr Salmond from North Macedonia wherever helium died past Saturday of a bosom attack.

His household followed down the hearse successful a ceremonial car and made their mode retired of the airdrome arsenic portion of a cortege that was led by Yes bikers.

People followed the radical successful their cars, galore of which were adorned with the Scottish flag.

The cortege volition question to Aberdeenshire to Mr Salmond’s household home.

The erstwhile SNP leader, who led the Scottish Government from 2007 until 2014, died aged 69 portion attending a league successful the metropolis of Ohrid.

His decease shocked the governmental satellite successful the UK, and tributes poured successful from the Prime Minister, the King and starring politicians.

First Minister John Swinney said his erstwhile workfellow – who aboriginal near the SNP and founded the Alba Party – inspired a procreation to judge successful independence.

As helium near North Macedonia, Mr Salmond’s assemblage was carried by six members of the nation’s subject to the formation on a reddish carpet that was flanked by 8 different soldiers lasting astatine attraction to the dependable of a trumpet.

The soldiers, formation and crushed unit observed a moment’s soundlessness earlier Mr Salmond’s assemblage was loaded onto the flight.

Plans are being enactment successful spot for a backstage household ceremonial on with a much nationalist memorial service.