Flight carrying Alex Salmond leaves North Macedonia for Scotland

The body of the former first minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, is being flown into Scotland later today.

It emerged on Thursday that businessman Sir Tom Hunter paid for a chartered flight to repatriate the body of the Alba Party leader from North Macedonia, where he died of a heart attack on Saturday.

The flight has taken off from North Macedonia and is due to take off at about 11am, landing in Aberdeen at about 1.45pm. Mr Salmond’s coffin, draped in the Saltire, was given a guard of honour as it was loaded on to the plane. 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 former first minister’s family, along with Alba Party acting leader Kenny MacAskill, will be there to receive the coffin, which will be taken by hearse to the family home.

Read more: Sir Tom Hunter funds flight to take Alex Salmond home

Mr Salmond died aged 69 after suffering a heart attack in the city of Ohrid, where he was attending a conference.

Tory MP Sir David Davis, a friend of the former SNP leader, had pushed for the RAF to bring his body back.

The Alba Party, which Mr Salmond formed in 2021 and which he led until his death, confirmed on Wednesday that a private citizen had stepped in to pay for a chartered flight.

Sir Tom said on Thursday: “Whilst he and I disagreed on some of his ambitions, Alex Salmond 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.

“Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with his family at this time.

“To be clear, I remain resolutely apolitical.”

Ms Ahmed-Sheikh thanked the North Macedonian Government and Sir Tom Hunter for their “kindness, generosity and respect” as Alex Salmond’s body leaves the country.

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

“I would like to express eternal gratitude to ⁦@MFA_MKD ⁩and ⁦@SirTomHunter ⁩ for their kindness, generosity and respect.

“The dream will never die.”