Alex Salmond's body returns home to Scotland as flight lands in Aberdeen

Mr Salmond’s body was received by his family and friends

The body of former first minister Alex Salmond has returned home to Scotland to be met by his family and friends and a lone piper.

A private flight, which was paid for by businessman Sir Tom Hunter, touched down at Aberdeen Airport at 1.55pm.

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The coffin left North Macedonia just after 10.20am on Friday, where it was draped in a Saltire by Mr Salmond’s Alba Party colleague Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh before being placed on the aircraft.

Mr Salmond’s body was received by his family and Alba’s acting leader Kenny MacAskill before being taken to his family home in Strichen, Aberdeenshire.

A lone piper played Freedom Come All Ye, a favourite of Mr Salmond’s, as his body was transferred from the plane to a waiting hearse.

His family followed behind the hearse in a funeral car and made their way out of the airport as part of a cortege that was led by the pro-independence “Yes Bikers”.

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Plans are being put in place for a private funeral, as well as a public memorial service at a later date.

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Mr Salmond died at the age of 69 on Saturday after suffering a heart attack while attending a conference in the city of Ohrid, North Macedonia.

Earlier, Ms Ahmed-Sheikh thanked the North Macedonian Government and Sir Tom Hunter for their “kindness, generosity and respect”.

In a post on X, she said: “Scotland’s son, hero and true patriot, Alex Salmond, is on his way home.”

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As he left North Macedonia, Mr Salmond’s body was carried by six members of the nation’s military to the flight along a red carpet that 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 Mr Salmond’s body was loaded onto the flight.

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Mr MacAskill, who stepped in after Mr Salmond’s death to take over as the acting leader of the Alba Party, said: “The family have asked that their privacy be respected at this time and will be making an announcement in due course about the funeral arrangements and a memorial service to honour the life of Alex Salmond.”

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A Downing Street spokeswoman said Sir Keir Starmer’s thoughts are with the former first minister’s family and friends. She also urged people to respect the family’s calls for privacy.

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Mr Salmond’s death shocked the political world in the UK, and tributes poured in from the Prime Minister, the King and leading politicians.

First Minister John Swinney said his former colleague – who later left the SNP and founded the Alba Party – inspired a generation to believe in independence.

In a statement on Thursday, Sir Tom said that while he disagreed with some of Mr Salmond’s ambitions, the former first minister “devoted his life to Scotland and the Scottish people and as such he, and importantly his family, deserved the dignity and privacy of a private return to the home of his birth”.

He added: “Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with his family at this time. To be clear I remain resolutely apolitical.”

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