Alex Salmond’s body has arrived back in Scotland following a flight from North Macedonia. The former first minister’s coffin landed at Aberdeen airport on Friday afternoon.
His body has been received by his family and Alba Party acting leader Kenny MacAskill before being taken to his family home in Strichen, Aberdeenshire.
Salmond died on Saturday from a heart attack while speaking at a conference in the city of Ohrid. His coffin was draped in a saltire as it left Ohrid St Paul the Apostle Airport on Friday morning.
Former SNP MP and Alba Party chairwoman Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh was among those who placed the flag on top of the coffin before it was taken to the plane. The flag is understood to have been provided by the Scotland Office.
Salmond’s body was carried by six members of the North Macedonian military to the flight, along a red carpet which was flanked by eight other soldiers standing at attention, to the sound of a trumpet.
The soldiers, flight and ground crew observed a moment’s silence before Salmond’s body was loaded onto the flight. The chartered plane was paid for by billionaire businessman Sir Tom Hunter. It came after days of diplomatic wrangling.
Friends and political allies of Salmond had called for the RAF to fly his body home to the north-east of Scotland, but the Record understands this was rejected as he was a private citizen at the time of his death.
The private plane charter was organised by the Alba Party with assistance by Holyrood officials, with Hunter covering costs. Salmond’s family are understood to be planning a private funeral for the former SNP leader, with a larger public memorial service to take place later in the year.
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