Plane carrying body of former first minister Alex Salmond lands in Aberdeen

Mr Salmond died connected Saturday from a bosom onslaught portion speaking astatine a league successful the metropolis of Ohrid successful the country’s southbound west.

The flight, which was chartered by an unnamed backstage individual, took disconnected from Ohrid St Paul the Apostle Airport conscionable aft 10.20am UK time.

Mr Salmond’s assemblage returned to the northbound eastbound of Scotland, adjacent to his location successful Strichen, Aberdeenshire, and the seats helium represented astatine some Westminster and Holyrood, this afternoon.

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

Mr Salmond’s assemblage volition beryllium received by his household and Alba Party acting person Kenny MacAskill earlier being taken distant successful a hearse.

Former SNP MP and Alba Party chairwoman, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, attended the coffin earlier it was taken to the plane, which was paid for by businessman Sir Tom Hunter.

Ms Ahmed-Sheikh draped Mr Salmond’s coffin successful the Saltire – which is understood to person been provided by the Scotland Office – arsenic it was taken from a van connected the tarmac.

Mr Salmond’s assemblage was carried by six members of the North Macedonian subject to the flight, on a reddish carpet which was flanked by 8 different soldiers lasting astatine attention, 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.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister’s thoughts are with his friends and household today.”

The spokeswoman besides urged radical to respect the family’s calls for privacy.

The Salmond household were successful talks with the UK and Scottish Governments astir the champion mode to repatriate the erstwhile SNP leader’s body.

His person and Tory MP, Sir David Davis, had pushed for the RAF to beryllium utilized to bring his assemblage back.

But the determination was taken, instead, to usage a backstage charter paid for by Sir Tom.

The businessman said connected Thursday: “Whilst helium and I disagreed connected immoderate of his ambitions, Alex Salmond devoted his beingness to Scotland and the Scottish radical and, arsenic such, helium – and importantly his household – deserved the dignity and privateness of a backstage instrumentality to the location of his birth.

“Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with his household astatine this time.

“To beryllium clear, I stay resolutely apolitical.”

Mr MacAskill, who stepped successful aft Mr Salmond’s decease to instrumentality implicit arsenic the acting person of the Alba Party, said: “The household are incredibly grateful for the enactment which is being provided by a backstage national to charter a backstage level to let Alex’s assemblage to travel location to Scotland.

“It brings a large woody of comfortableness to Moira and different members of the household to cognize that helium volition soon beryllium location with them.

“The household person asked that their privateness beryllium respected astatine this clip and volition beryllium making an announcement successful owed people astir the ceremonial arrangements and a memorial work to honour the beingness of Alex Salmond.”